His Ghoul Friday
by sister-b
Summary: Natalie's new to this "ghoul" thing and finds herself constantly the cause of LaCroix's frustration. However, he gives her one more chance...and one more chance...and one more chance...and she doesn't know why. VtM:B-M for language and adult content.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Sequel to "Thicker Than Water." This story takes place in a VtM:B AU sorta, just in the fact that the game hasn't taken place. There has been no Ankaran Sarcophagus, no Gehenna, etc. I'd say it was BEFORE the events of the game, but I doubt I could make an excuse for some characters' actions in this fic and then reverting to the way they are in Bloodlines. So we'll call this slightly AU. Enjoy!**

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Trying unsuccessfully to hide a sigh, I stared at the numbers at the top of the elevator, wishing it could go faster. 22, 23, 24,... "Don't you tap your foot at me; this is important!" I bit my lip guiltily and looked up through my eyelashes at the man next to me, giving him my sweetest "oopsie" look. He wasn't buying it. He knew me too well. My grandfather gave me his patented "why do you do this to me?" look that I was getting all too used to seeing, partially because my mother would give me the same look when I was a kid. "Come on, Nat, seriously. You know LaCroix's gonna have my neck if he starts thinkin' I'm not doin' my job to get all this in your head!" He tapped my forehead with the knuckle of his index finger lightly; and I pulled back, rubbing the spot he'd tapped and pouting.

"I'm gettin' it!" I protested, instantly knowing it was the wrong thing to say. Every time I tried to assure him that I wasn't blowing him off, he'd just give me "that look" and repeat himself. Like now.

"Look, I know you're getting into the whole 'vampire culture' and all that; but some of 'em are startin' to talk," he said, glancing up at the numbers with me. 43, 44,... "They say that you're one o'them blood addicts. The kind of ghoul that _no one_ wants around."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "They're idiots, then. I've only had blood three times in six months." My grandfather's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Mercurio. Seriously. Do you think I'd lie to you?" I asked him. We'd agreed that I'd call him by his first name, considering the fact that calling a man "grandpa" was just weird when he looked only a few years older than myself.

Resigned, he sighed and shook his head. "I hope not."

"Hey!" I was hurt. Insulted. I turned to him with my fists clenched, but we'd finally reached the 70th floor, and the elevator doors opened.

Mercurio stepped out of the elevator with me hot on his heels. "Hey, ladies," he greeted the two women sitting at desks that sat opposite each other. Your run of the mill secretaries, except these drank blood. I never saw them apart, nor did I ever see them outside this office. It made me wonder if they drank each others' blood to survive, always instantly followed with the question as to whether or not vampires could even _do _that.

"Mr. LaCroix wants to see you," one of the women said. "He wants you to go up right away."

Frowning, Mercurio took the envelope she held out to him and opened it. His eyes scanned the note inside quickly before he tucked it into an interior pocket of his blue jacket. "He seem pissed?" he asked. The women looked at each other, then went back to typing. "Shit. Come on, Nat."

Confused, I followed him back into the elevator. He punched the button that stated "PH" with his thumb, then crossed his arms over his chest. His brow was furrowed in thought. "What would he be mad at you for?" I asked gently, suddenly worried. Sebastian LaCroix, our boss and the one I inwardly referred to as the head vampire around these parts, was one hell of a powerful person; and I'd heard he was more dangerous than he was powerful.

Mercurio gave me a look. "'Member what we were just talkin' about on the way up here?" he asked. I could tell he was trying to be gentle, but his voice had an edge to it that made me cringe.

"What did I do?" I asked.

"Look. I'm glad you've made friends here, but..." He shrugged. "It just really doesn't look too good when you're workin' for the main man in town and then goin' around with Nines Rodriguez." I sighed. Nines. That's what this was about. I opened my mouth to speak, but Mercurio cut me off by holding his hand up. "Everyone's startin' to say that you'd go anywhere to get blood, and that Nines knows it. They think you're workin' for the Camarilla for the money, and whoring yourself to the Anarchs for blood from whoever wants to—you know..." I raised my eyebrow at him, making him finish the thought. "Whoever wants to...take advantage of you."

"_Fuck_ me, you mean?" I asked, seething. Mercurio made a face, but nodded. He didn't like hearing me talk like that. In spite of his youthful appearance, he was very much my grandfather. I gritted my teeth together. "Look, it's not like that with Nines," I explained. I wasn't about to admit that I'd imagined it being "like that" regarding Nines several times while alone in my apartment. I didn't want his blood. I just wanted _him_...like that...; and as a blush came to my face, I realized I should probably shut down all those thoughts right there and take a cold shower as soon as I got home.

"So what's it like, then?" Mercurio asked. He looked almost angry now. He was fiercely loyal to LaCroix and the Camarilla, I knew; and he wouldn't tolerate his granddaughter being any less, especially since my moving to Santa Monica had nearly gotten us both killed.

"He's just a friend," I explained. "He's a nice guy. I don't even think he knows I work for LaCroix."

Mercurio scoffed. "He knows. You think anyone in this town doesn't know? He knows."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked. "I've never talked about work. I've never even mentioned you."

The elevator doors opened in front of us revealing a hallway ending in double doors to LaCroix's office. "Believe me," Mercurio said in a hushed voice. "LaCroix doesn't take on new ghouls without it being noticed. I was his last one before you came to town." My mouth dropped open. I had figured everyone working in Venture Tower who wasn't a vampire had been his ghoul. Mercurio nodded at my reaction. "Yeah. You were big news once people found out whose blood you were drinkin'."

"But...but...I've only had it three times!"

"Which is weird too," he said, stopping in the middle of the hallway to turn to me. "I get mine once a month. Why's he holdin' out on yours for _two_?" Mercurio studied me, but I knew he was only trying to figure out an answer to his question.

I shrugged. "I always got the impression he only gave it to me when I got annoying with hanging around."

"What do you mean?"

Shrugging again, I replied, "I just noticed that it's almost like he wants me to shut up and go away. I get antsy, want something to do; so I come here to find out if there's anything available. After a few times of coming around, one of the girls downstairs has a blood pack for me."

His eyes narrowed. "You get restless, then keep comin' 'round here?" I nodded. "He's takin' you to the edge of withdrawl." His eyes stayed on my face for a while longer, then he shook his head. "Not as if it's gonna hurt you or nothin'. Just no reason that I can see for it." He shrugged, then finally turned around and walked to the double doors, pushing one of them open. I followed him in and closed the door behind us.

LaCroix was behind his desk, poring over paperwork. Mercurio cleared his throat, but LaCroix didn't look up. He knew we were there. He was merely making sure _we_ knew he'd get to us when he was ready. Finally, after a couple minutes of uneasy silence, he spoke. "It has been brought--" He looked up as he spoke and paused when his eyes landed on me. I saw his jaw tighten, his eyes narrow slightly; and I wanted to turn and run from the office. His problem was definitely with me. He cleared his throat and started again. "Perhaps it's a good thing Miss Lucas accompanied you in spite of the fact that I called for you and you alone, Mercurio." I heard Mercurio clear his throat quietly, clearly uncomfortable. LaCroix stood, placing his fingertips on the polished wood surface of his desk and leaning forward on them. "After all, the matter which I had intended to bring to your attention directly involves her." His eyes were on me again. I had only seen the man one other time between the time he'd collected me from Santa Monica and now; I had a feeling, though, that no matter how many times I saw him between now and the end of my life, I'd never get used to the coldness in those eyes.

"I think I know what you're gonna say," Mercurio started, silenced by a look from LaCroix. I was glad to find I wasn't the only one that look had that effect on.

"I'm sure you do." And the way his voice got so quiet like that creeped me out more than his eyes! It was like hearing a panther purring right before it pounced and started ripping at the flesh of its pray. _Creepy._ "Miss Lucas, there has been talk of your becoming friendly with a Mister Nines Rodriguez." He raised an eyebrow as he studied me. "Is this true?"

I tried to wet my lips, but my tongue had turned into cotton. Trying to swallow my nervousness, I found my throat had become velcro. I finally just had to cough to be able to speak. "Uh, yes. Yes, sir."

The eyebrow again. And the eyes narrowing again. Ever heard the term "shooting daggers from the eyes"? LaCroix was a master at it. Those eyes were tossing glinting silver daggers straight at my face, and it was all I could do to keep from wincing. "I see," he said simply, straightening his posture and clasping his hands behind his back. "This friendship could be a problem, Miss Lucas. It does not reflect well on me to have you cavorting with Anarchs."

"I didn't realize that everyone was making such a big deal about it!" I said, jumping to my own defense. I felt Mercurio nudge me with an elbow, but it didn't stop me. He should know by now that it never does. "I mean, I had no idea that your claiming me as your ghoul was big news around vampire society! If I had, I would have been a little more discreet; but I didn't think it would matter!"

LaCroix's face was blank, but his lips pressed together a little harder. "Discreet," he echoed. The word wrapped itself around those silver daggers like a poison. This time I did wince a little. "If you _had_, Miss Lucas, I would have hoped that you would not have started a friendship with Mr. Rodriguez at all." I stayed silent this time. LaCroix slowly stepped out from behind his desk. "Mercurio."

"Y—yes, sir?"

"Miss Keller downstairs has your blood. You may collect it on your way out."

Mercurio nodded, glancing at me. "Yes, sir. Uh...does that mean you want me to go?"

"You may leave." I got goosebumps from the ice in LaCroix's words. Plus, he was taking my security blanket—Mercurio--away from me.

Mercurio nodded and met my eyes quickly before he left. _Sorry, kiddo,_ his expression said. I tried to give him a smile, but it's hard to do when your concentration is solely devoted to not peeing yourself.

After the door closed, there was a heavy silence in the room. LaCroix was staring at me; I could feel it. I didn't dare look him in the eyes. As stupid as it sounds, I felt like those daggers his eyes shot at me were real; and I'd probably start to bleed from the eyes if I looked up at him. After a couple minutes of silence, I began to wish there was a clock or _something_ in that office for me to listen to. I cleared my throat gently. "I didn't--"

"Quiet," LaCroix commanded, the force of his voice making me take an involuntary step back. "You will tell me everything that has happened between you and Nines Rodriguez, every detail that you have said to him." I finally looked up at him to see if he was serious. Not only could I tell that he was serious, but I could also tell that he was majorly fuckin' pissed off. His fists were clenched at his sides, and I almost thought I could detect a slight tremble to them. His jaw and his lips were working ever so slightly, and that alone made me fear that my next words would be cut off by him biting my head off. Literally.

I took a deep breath, lowering my eyes to the floor. "There's not much to tell," I started. "I went to The Last Round for a drink one night because I was..." Weakness and emotion were two things I didn't want to show right now in front of this predator I called my boss, but he wanted _everything_. "...I was lonely. I needed to be around people." I shrugged. "He came downstairs when I was sitting in a booth, and he came over to me to talk. Said he'd never seen me in there before. We just talked the rest of the night, but work never came up. I didn't think he knew who I was. Like I said, I didn't know I was a big deal in town."

There was that crushing silence again. Finally, a sigh from the other side of the room made me risk a look up. LaCroix had lowered his head and was massaging his temples with his fingertips. If only I could count so high that I could put a number to the times I'd seen my dad do the same in response to something my brother or I had done. "Let me put this simply, Miss Lucas," he said in that same predatory purr that had given me goosebumps earlier. "I don't give my blood lightly." He looked up, but his expression wasn't quite so severe anymore. He sighed again. "I suppose I should have taken it upon myself to inform you of this as well as the fact that rumors would undoubtedly abound the moment those working here learned of your arrival. Especially once it became common knowledge as to _why_ you were coming around here."

I frowned. "Rumors?"

His expression grew amused. "You don't listen to those around you often, do you?" I shook my head. "You should. It would serve you well to do so." Clasping his hands behind his back, he began to pace in front of his desk. "I'm yet to find the origin of the most rampant rumors, but I've no doubt they're Anarch in nature. After all, who else would it amuse to spread rumors that you and I, Miss Lucas, are lovers?"

My jaw dropped. "I...no, I...I hadn't heard that," I stammered. "I...why didn't Mercurio...he would have mentioned _something_ to me."

LaCroix gave me a tight smile. "He doesn't spend much time downtown. Santa Monica is a little out of the loop, so to speak." I nodded. "And your being seen with Nines Rodriguez has done nothing but fuel the rumor fires. Now _I_ look like the fool whose lover is cavorting behind his back with someone abashedly opposed to the Camarilla." Any traces of amusement were gone from his face. "I trust you're beginning to see the problem."

I chuckled, trying to disguise it as a cough as his frown deepened. "So...wait, lemme get this straight. You're not so upset about the fact that people are saying we're lovers. Instead, you just don't want to look like the jilted lover that I left for Nines?" His eyes narrowed to slits. "Does that mean you want to go along with the first rumor?" I asked, grinning.

Bad idea. His fists were back at his side. And now he was showing his fangs. Fuck. "Miss Lucas, I'd advise you to take me more seriously than you seem to be," he said through gritted teeth. The purr was gone from his voice. It was full on growl now. I gulped and nodded. It took every ounce of will power I had in me to stand my ground when he started walking towards me. By the time he stopped, he was less than a step in front of me; and I was feeling lightheaded. Remembering to breathe helped the dizziness, but I was still shaky. "Understand my position," he said softly, looking down at me. "I made you my ghoul to ensure your loyalty would be unquestioned. Yet that's exactly where this affiliation of yours with Mr. Rodriguez has led: a public questioning of your loyalty to me." I nodded again, my eyes locked on his. I couldn't look away. I was too terrified that he'd take it as an insult. "I don't wish to keep you prisoner here merely to chase away their rumors of infidelity, especially since I'm far from fond of the original rumor as it is. However, if my hand is forced, you will be finding yourself spending at least the nighttime hours of the day in this tower, the key to your room only available to me." His expression took on an evil shadow. "After all, if you're spending most of your time here, you obviously wish to spend more time with your _lover_, no?"

I got the message loud and clear: stop spending time at The Last Round with Nines and his friends or be made LaCroix's prisoner. Ultimatums—something I've always hated and rebelled against. I had a split second to decide if I was going to rebel or give in to this one.

Did I mention that I'm a stubborn, prideful bitch? No? Well, I am. That makes me unbelievably stupid at times.

I narrowed my eyes, showing my own teeth. I didn't have fangs; but goddammit, my teeth have done some pretty good damage when I'd gotten into fights with haughty bitches at school. "I think you're more 'fond' of the original rumor than you care to admit," I said. "You wanna lock me up, force me into a solitary existence? Want me to be your little trophy? Why don't we get married too? That'd look good! Sebastian LaCroix, CEO and family man! Dress me up, put me on your arm, show Nines that you've got me and he doesn't!"

That's where I stopped being able to breathe. His hand tightening on my throat may have had everything to do with that. When had he grabbed me? "I've never wished I had killed you, Miss Lucas," he hissed, bringing his face mere centimeters away from mine. "Don't force me to wish it now. I tend to make my wishes come true." My hands were pulling at his now as I struggled to swallow, to breathe, to stay conscious. He let me struggle for two seconds more before letting me go and turning his back to me.

When his grip was gone, I dropped to my knees, coughing and rubbing my throat. "Okay, okay, no wedding, no trophy," I croaked. I felt my lips pull back from my teeth again as I looked up at him, standing so straight in his designer suit, thinking himself so much better than all the rest of the world, thinking that he was my benefactor and I owed him so much for saving my life. I did; but at that moment, I wasn't willing to remember that. "You must just want an excuse to lock me up so you can fuck me whenever you want, right? Make me your secret concubi--"

He had my shirt in his fists at my shoulders, pulling me to my tiptoes. My hands were on his forearms, trying to pull away; but he was too strong. "Why do you insist on vexing me, Miss Lucas?" he said. I could have sworn he drew out the _s_'s in "Miss Lucas," giving me the impression he really was hissing. "Do _you_ wish I'd killed you six months back?" I shook my head. "Then, why?"

He really did want an answer to the question. "I...I...don't know. Bad habit."

LaCroix's eyes looked straight into mine. "That's a habit that will get you into a lot of trouble," he said before setting me down and stepping back. "Break it. And find something better to do than Nines Rodriguez."

"I'm _not_ doing Nines!" I protested, straightening my shirt. LaCroix gave me a bored expression, crossing his arms over his chest. "I told you. We've only talked. Work has _never_ been brought up. He doesn't ask me what I do or who I work for. I don't volunteer it."

"He knows for whom you work," LaCroix reminded me with a sigh.

"Yeah, maybe, but he's never tried to prod into what's going on around here or in the Camarilla."

That made the corners of LaCroix's mouth twitch in a near-smile. "Because he knows you're too new to be trusted with anything too important."

My mouth dropped open, then shut again. "Fine. If that's the case, why _do_ you keep me around?" My turn to cross my arms in front of me.

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't have to explain my priorities or reasoning to those who work for me, Miss Lucas. However, since this is something we've already discussed in the past, I'll remind you that you are 'kept around' more for Mercurio's sake than my own."

I scoffed. "Yeah. I know he's 'an asset' to you or whatever you've said, but I don't think that'd mean jack shit if he wanted something that didn't mesh with what you want to do around here."

His jaw tightened again. "Let me make this simple for you," he said, moving close to me once more. I could smell his cologne and flashed back to his limo for a split second, falling asleep against him, being awakened when we arrived at my new apartment by his gently saying my name and touching my face. I'd _thought_ that he might actually not be such a bad guy at that time. Now, though, as he was barely an inch away from me and was looking at me with death in his eyes, I just wanted to get out of that office and go back to our meetings being few and far between. "You have no right to question me. I give you an assignment, you do it, I pay you. That's called 'being my employee,' Miss Lucas. Along with that comes responsibility to represent this organization. You, however, are unique in the fact that you have drunk my blood no less than three times and are known throughout this city as not only my employee—of which I have many—but also my ghoul—of which I have two. Therefore, you represent not only the LaCroix Foundation, you represent _me._ Am I getting through to you at all, Miss Lucas?"

I nodded and fought the instinct to step back and cower in front of him. "Yes, sir," I replied meekly.

"Good. Now prove it by doing your assignments as you receive them and by stopping your association with those Anarchs at their little dive immediately." With that, he turned and began to walk back to his desk.

"Um, sir?" I asked softly.

He stopped but didn't turn back to me. "Yes?" he asked, annoyance dripping from the word.

"Mercurio and I were talking," I said, trying to choose my words carefully. I didn't want to piss him off any more than I already had that night. I might not survive to see sunrise. "He thought it was odd that I get blood every two months and he gets his every month."

There was a moment of silence, then a soft chuckle. "Jealous, Miss Lucas?"

I shook my head hard, even though he still had his back to me. "No! I just...was curious as to the reason behind the timing." There. That sounded like a good little employee, right?

Another few seconds passed, then LaCroix looked over his shoulder at me, shooting me an icy glare. "Did I not just _say_ that I have no obligation to explain my reasoning to you?"

I bit my lip nervously. "You did, I know. I was just curious. I didn't think there was harm in asking."

He turned around fully then, a thoughtful expression on his face. I decided he was trying to determine if he wanted to bother humoring me. "I'm getting a feel for your timing," he said finally.

"My timing?"

"How long it takes you to exhibit what most refer to as 'withdrawl symptoms' with your current workload. Mercurio gets his once a month because he does more work than you currently do. When you begin to receive more tasks, your blood intake will increase. It's all based on what's expended, Miss Lucas."

"So...it's kinda like food. It gets used up faster if we do more?"

"Remember, Miss Lucas, that for Kindred, it _is_ food. For you, it is similar to a supplement. Either way you regard it, however, your conclusion is correct."

I nodded, happy and surprised I'd actually gotten an answer from him. "Thank you," I said, inclining my head slightly. I don't know why I did it, but it seemed like the respectful thing to do.

When I looked back up at him, LaCroix was almost smiling. "Was your question a hint at something?"

I licked my lips without thinking. It hadn't quite been two months, and I wasn't feeling restless without it, but the feeling that drinking his blood gave was absolutely exhilarating, and I couldn't deny that. My last couple fixes had come from a plastic blood pack, which meant they weren't quite the experience my first taste was, drinking straight from his wrist. However, that didn't mean that I was left unaffected; the taste alone was enough to give one the sensation of pure bliss. "Um...not hinting, sir," I said, ducking my head. I looked up through my eyelashes at him. "Though I'd never turn down the opportunity to receive some a little early..."

I could tell LaCroix was regarding me with amusement. My heart leaped when he turned away, beckoning me to him with a crook of his finger. I followed him to his desk, stopping beside him as he removed his long coat. Reminding me of the first time I'd tasted his blood, his motions echoed what he'd done that first night in the limo: taking off the cufflink, giving it to me to hold, rolling up his sleeve, raising the underside of his pale wrist to his fangs, piercing his own skin and lowering his arm to let me see the deep red liquid beginning to well up and drip. As a crimson drop began to run down his arm, he swiped at it with a finger. Gently, he touched that finger to my lips, rubbing the coppery liquid onto them like a morbid lip stain. The feather-light touch combined with the scent of his blood made me feel weak in the knees, and I had to steady myself with a hand on his desk. My eyes fluttered shut as my tongue chased his fingertip, licking the blood from my lips. My tongue finally caught his finger, licking the blood off it before I took it in my mouth. As the taste of blood faded, my apparently fragile senses began to return; and I opened my eyes. My heart rate increased merely from the look in his eyes. It told me, _"I own you."_

I returned the wordless look with another hard suck on his fingertip, my tongue playing lightly on the underside of it. _"Yes, master."_

His tongue flicked his own lips as he pulled his finger away, replacing it with his wrist in front of my mouth. I took his hand in mine and turned his wrist around to lick the back of it where the blood had trailed, tracing the red stream back up to the wound where it originated with my tongue. My eyes never left his face, and it excited me to see him lick his lips once more, then a second time as I began to drink from the wound. Again, my eyes closed as the liquid began to take over my senses, heat coursing through me. I imagined I could feel it spreading through me, reaching to my fingers and toes, flushing every inch of my skin. At least, I think I imagined it. I was vaguely aware of his other hand brushing my hair back, his fingers tangling in my hair at the back of my head. I stopped and looked up at him with clouded eyes.

The corners of LaCroix's mouth turned up in a small smile before he put his wrist to his mouth to close the wound. As I licked the blood from my lips, I noticed the red stain that the wound left on his mouth. My blood-fogged mind briefly considered licking it from his lips, then I snapped to my senses and felt myself blush. His smile grew as if he had known what I was thinking. He held my eyes with his own as his tongue slowly collected the blood from his lips; and I looked away, feeling dirty and turned on at the same time. "Cufflink, Miss Lucas," he said, jolting me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, sorry." I handed it back to him.

"I trust our conversation will not be forgotten?"

I shook my head. "No, sir. Thank you."

"I'll email when I need you." I nodded and tried not to hurry out of his office, still licking my lips and tasting him there. My thoughts wandered to what it'd be like to bite his lip mid-kiss, tasting his kiss _and_ blood together. As a self-inflicted punishment, I bit my own lip. Hard. As I got in the elevator, I tasted my own blood; but I could still taste his as well. I leaned against the mirrored wall of the elevator as I rode to the ground-floor, not trusting my shaky legs to support myself much longer. Yes, a cold shower would definitely be needed as soon as possible. Nines who?


	2. Chapter 2

Having had a long elevator ride down from LaCroix's penthouse, I was steady once more when I stepped out of Venture Tower. Mercurio was leaning against the wall, waiting for me. "God, he musta ripped you a new one," he said, falling into step beside me as I walked towards my apartment.

I took a deep breath. "He...wasn't happy."

"You okay?"

I nodded. "We're cool, I think."

"Whoa, whoa." Mercurio stepped in front of me, making me stop. "'We're cool'? No one's really 'cool' with LaCroix, sweetheart." I shrugged, trying to smile. "What happened up there?"

I bit my lip nervously, instantly regretting it as I reopened the wound I'd given myself. I sucked on it for a second before answering. "He basically told me that people think he and I are lovers and that I'm making him look bad because now they think I'm cheating on him with Nines and that I'm to cut ties with the Anarchs if I don't want him to lock me in a room in the tower to stop the rumors from flying."

Either I grew three more heads or Mercurio was having trouble taking in everything I'd just said. "They think...you and...wait, whoa." He started to laugh. "They think that you and LaCroix..."

"Are lovers, yes." I don't wear my emotions on my sleeve; I wear them on my cheeks, which were growing warmer each time this topic came up.

"And that you're having an affair with Nines Rodriguez?" I nodded. He shook his head, grinning. "Jeez, honey, you sure have made things interesting around here." I rolled my eyes and pushed past him. "But what was that about locking you up?"

"LaCroix said that he would lock me up for _at least _the nighttime hours in his tower if he has to in order to make the infidelity rumors stop."

Mercurio laughed again. "So he wants to go along with the lovers rumor?"

"That's what it sounded like to me!" I said, throwing up my hands in frustration as Mercurio stopped me again. "But when I said something to that effect, he grabbed me by the throat and pretty much threatened my life if I didn't drop it."

Clouds covered Mercurio's expression. "He threatened you?"

I smiled softly. "It's okay. I think I just pushed buttons I knew better than to push. If I'd just kept my mouth shut and gone with 'yes sir' instead of going into smartass mode, it wouldn't have happened." I took Mercurio's hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm okay."

"I don't like him treating you like that," he said, putting his arm around my shoulders as we began to walk again.

"I think he felt guilty about it too," I said, grinning.

"How so?"

"I asked him about the blood thing. How I don't get it as often as you?"

"Yeah?"

I beamed up at Mercurio. "Got me an extra fix out of it."

"Yeah? How'd ya do that?"

I shrugged as we got to the Skyeline Apartment building's elevator. "He told me he's finding out my withdrawal threshold, basically. Your body uses it up faster with all the work you do, so you get it more often. When I start getting more jobs to do, he'll up my 'dosage.'"

As we left the elevator and stepped into my apartment, Mercurio shook his head and said, "That doesn't explain how you got an extra fix."

Shrugging again as I flopped down on the couch, I grinned. "He asked if I was hinting at something by asking the question. I said no, but I wouldn't turn it down if he offered. I guess it helped that I gave him that look you hate so much, the one that gets you to buy me stuff?" Mercurio raised an eyebrow, looking amused and curious at the same time. "Next thing I knew, I was drinking from his wrist." I decided that my grandfather didn't need the details of the encounter.

"Huh. I knew that look of yours has _me_ wrapped around your little finger, but I didn't think it'd have any effect on a cold bastard like LaCroix." I grinned again. Mercurio chuckled. "Never use that power for evil, kiddo." At that, I laughed. "Hey, I gotta get goin'," he said. I jumped up and gave him a hug goodbye. "Gimme a call if you need anything," he said before leaving.

I grabbed a remote off the coffee table and turned on my stereo before settling back onto the couch. My finger absently ran over where I'd bitten my lip, and my mind drifted to how it had felt for his finger to be brushing over my lips. How it had felt in my mouth. The look in his eyes.

I shivered and stood. Definitely time for that cold shower.

* * *

_I'm fighting. I feel the impact of my fist against flesh, hear the crack of bones against brick as I drive my enemy's head into the side of a building. As the first falls dead at my feet, I have another pinned to the wall, my forearm locked against his throat. My face is scratched by long claws, frantically trying to make me back off; I only press harder and use my other fist to break his nose. The face is unfamiliar but monstrous. My victim bears long, sharp fangs; my arm against his windpipe will do nothing as he does not need air to survive. My free hand is holding a stake. I plunge it through the creature's heart, pinning him against the brick._

_Backing away several steps, I stare at the hand that had driven the stake through his chest. It's covered in nearly black blood. There is someone else in front of me now. The wall is gone, the creature with it. There is only him. He brushes my sweat-soaked curls from my face and smiles, gray eyes telling me he's proud of my work as he takes my bloody hand. My clean hand reaches up and runs through his blond hair, and I grin as he shivers and closes his eyes. My hand at the base of his neck, I pull him close. The fingers of my bloody hand lace with his as our bodies press together. I pull his hair, tugging his head to the side. My fangs pierce his neck, and I drink my fill._

_

* * *

_

Gasping, I sat up in bed, my nightshirt clinging to my body from sweat. "What the fuck was that?" I asked out loud, breathing hard. I'd had sexy dreams before, some of which were much more graphic than the one I'd just had. Some of them were even about people I'd rather not have sexy dreams about. But _this_?

I glanced at the clock on my bedside table. Its glowing numbers told me it was nearly noon. I let out a shaky sigh and sat on the edge of my bed. _It had to be the blood,_ I told myself, fighting back the reminder that it had never happened the other three times I'd drunk LaCroix's blood, even the first time. Shaking my head, I made my way to my second cold shower in twelve hours.

* * *

I used my day to walk around downtown LA. It amazed me that I could look at someone and think, _You have no idea what walks these streets at night._ The only thing that _was _certain was the fact that there were no vampires about at that moment. It was a warm, sunny day, the type I came to California for. Spring was just starting, and everything seemed to be glad of it. Singing birds, blossoms on trees that swayed with a light breeze, little puffs of clouds...life was so different during the day.

I cut down an alley to get to the street my apartment building was on faster, but my steps slowed until I stopped in front of a brick wall. I looked down at my left hand. No blackish blood. No stake. No LaCroix. Without thinking, I punched the wall. I hopped around for a few seconds after that, cursing my dream, vampires, this alley, that wall, and the fact that I couldn't seem to get the dream out of my head, even on a beautiful day like this. After inspecting my abused knuckles, I walked through the rest of the alley, my head in a decidedly gloomier place.

The rest of the evening was spent dozing on the couch in front of bad reality shows on MTV. I rubbed my eyes and finally decided I should get up and at least check my email when I realized the clock on my tv stated it was nearing midnight. Nothing. Guess LaCroix didn't need me tonight. Hey, didn't bother me any. He had me on a fixed salary, so I got paid no matter how much or how little work I did.

I threw on a light leather jacket and headed out. I figured I might as well walk the streets, see if anything interesting was going down in Vamp-town, as I liked to call it after dark. To myself only, of course. Lost in random thoughts, I found myself in the vicinity of The Last Round. I frowned, looking at the bar's door. I'd just decided that I wouldn't go in—I didn't want to make LaCroix any more pissed off at me than he'd been the previous night—when the door opened. Nines. Of course, as is my luck, the first thing Nines laid eyes on upon stepping out of the bar was me. He smiled and crossed the street to where I was. "Hey, what're you doing out here?" he asked, his voice warm and friendly as always. "We've been wondering where you'd disappeared to."

I smiled, sighing. "I've been busy, I guess."

"Oh yeah?"

I nodded, my eyes darting away from his. "Yeah. Work and...stuff..."

Nines ducked his head, trying to view my expression better. "You okay?"

Nodding again, I smiled. "Fine."

His eyes narrowed slightly. He looked concerned. "You got somethin' you don't wanna talk about?"

I chuckled. "Kinda." My tongue ran over the raw spot on my lip. It was almost healed because of the vampire blood in me, but I could still taste the metallic raw flesh. "I...just shouldn't be coming around here anymore," I said. I had my head bowed now, staring at the ground.

Nines put his hand under my chin, forcing me to look at him. I had to bite my tongue, inflicting pain to remind myself not to reach up and touch his face. Those pale blue eyes were so tempting, especially while showing concern for me. I wanted to risk a kiss so badly. I'd been wanting to since I met him, but had never worked up the courage to try. Now? Not even the slightest possibility. "It's LaCroix, huh?" Nines asked softly.

I didn't have to ask how he knew. I just nodded. "He's not too happy with the rumors that I'm apparently cheating on him with you." The sound of the words made me laugh. It was ludicrous.

Nines raised an eyebrow, then laughed. "You're kidding, right?"

I shook my head. "He told me that's the word on the street, and it's making him look like a fool."

"As if that's hard to do." I shot him a look which he ignored. "Look, I don't know where he's been hearing that bullshit, but--"

"Does it matter?" I interrupted. "He nearly ripped my head off last night over it. Literally. Besides, he kinda has a point. Apparently, _everyone_ in town knows me even though I didn't realize it until he brought it up. And yeah, I can't imagine it looks good for the girl everyone knows is LaCroix's ghoul to be hanging around the Anarch bar." I shrugged, looking at Nines apologetically. "I kinda owe him. He spared my life."

"He shouldn't have been threatening it in the first place," Nines said, a low growl to his voice.

"Okay, yeah, but fact is, I'm alive because he chose to keep me alive. Same with my grandfather. So, I can't really expect to stay in his good graces without making a couple sacrifices."

Nines frowned. "Like your life? He's gonna turn you into a slave, kid, just like everyone else he has under his thumb."

I shrugged again, helpless. "_C'est la vie._"

"What?"

"It's French," I said with a chuckle. "You know, 'such is life'?"

Nines rolled his eyes. "I suppose Lil' Napoleon taught you that too, huh?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

Confused, I shook my head. "Who?"

"LaCroix."

"No," I replied with a laugh. "Why do you call him that?"

"Oh, I dunno, because he's a French bastard who wants to take over the world?"

"He's French?" I asked, drawing a sigh from Nines.

"Listen. You get outta here. Far be it from me to cause you to get a hard hour from LaCroix." He placed a hand on my shoulder and looked at me sadly. "But listen to me: if I were you, I'd get out of there as soon as possible. You're working for the wrong side, kid. The Camarilla just wants to have everyone under their watchful eye and will forcefully get rid of anyone who doesn't wanna play by their bullshit rules. Just a bunch of rich vamps on the power trip of their lives, _especially_ LaCroix."

I pressed my lips together tightly. I wasn't going to defend LaCroix, but I didn't like hearing anyone talk about the Camarilla that way. My grandfather had worked for them for thirty years; that had to mean something, right? Instead of arguing, though, I just gave Nines a quick hug and waved goodbye without another word. I'd already loitered around with him for too long. Who knows who could have seen? The thought crossed my mind that I could go to Venture Tower to see if there were any jobs for me. I chuckled at the thought. I'd just had my blood fix the previous night, and already I was thinking like I did when I was due for another fix?

My mind wandered back to Nines's words. Not about the Camarilla or LaCroix being a slave driver. About LaCroix's being French, of all things. I wondered what he sounded like speaking his native tongue. I wondered if he ever whispered it in a woman's ear, especially during--

_BAD THOUGHT. GO AWAY BAD THOUGHT. Think of something else, quick! Uh, tv...music...fast cars...ooo, fast cars, I like cars, okay, cars, black cars, sexy black cars, sexy limousine, leather seats, scent of leather mingling with what's probably French cologne, taste of blood—BAD THOUGHT._

I shook my head hard, nearly stumbling off the sidewalk. I got a dirty look from a club-goer I nearly bumped into during my struggle to regain my balance. Coming to a stop, I took a deep breath, then another, gazing down the street in front of me. _Black car. Sexy black car. Sexy black car stopping beside me. _I stared at the car dumbly while the passenger window rolled down. "Get in," said a voice from inside.

I bent down, looking in the window. "Mr. LaCroix?" I said, dumbfounded. _I didn't even know he drove himself anywhere __**ever**__._

"Get. In." I opened my mouth to say something. Before I even knew what I had been about to say, the car was driving off, me in the passenger seat.

We drove in silence for several minutes. I wanted to ask where we were going, but first I wanted to know why the hell I'd gotten in the car without even thinking about it. It reminded me of the limo, when he'd told me to sit next to him. It was as if his words were a command that no one could defy, no matter what will power they might have. Giving up trying to figure it out—a fight I'd given up many times since learning of the existence of vampires--, I turned my attention to the road in front of us. We were heading out of town. _"Never go out of town by yourself,"_ I remembered Mercurio telling me a few months back. _"Outside city limits? That's werewolf country. What, there can be vampires but no werewolves? Believe me, honey, they're real; and they're scarier than any movie has ever been able to show. I don't care if you're in a car or a tank; you don't wanna be caught out of town at night."_

And of course, where were we? Outside town. At night. In a car that was pretty, but far from being a tank. I looked at LaCroix with a frown. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"I have a meeting with one of the Primogen," he explained, keeping his eyes on the road. "Malkavian. He refuses to come into the city."

I nodded slowly. "So...why bring me?"

That drew LaCroix's gaze to me. "Strength in numbers."

Gulp. "You have a tower full of people—_vampires--_and you choose to pick me up at random to be your bodyguard?" I said incredulously.

"Not bodyguard, Miss Lucas," he said. I clung to the door handle for dear life as he took a curve a little too fast. After getting back onto straight road, he turned to me and smiled. "Bait."

"What." My hand was searching for the door handle. I was seriously considering jumping until I saw his speedometer. 100. "Jesus, you've got a lead foot!" I exclaimed.

A bored sigh. "It's in kilometers, Miss Lucas. We're only going approximately 67 miles per hour."

"Still..." I grumbled. "And what do you mean by 'bait'? Why am _I_ your bait? And what are you baiting with me?"

"So many questions, and not a one I'm interested in answering right now." His tone was light, and I wondered if driving put him in a good mood. Well...as good as Sebastian LaCroix could get.

"Well...well...fine! Fuck you then!" I crossed my arms and huffed, staring out the window. His chuckle only irritated me more. Especially since I still had questions on my tongue that I knew I'd eventually ask even though he'd never answer them. So I went with something totally off topic. "So you're French?"

He looked at me, confused. "Wh—yes?" He was giving me the oddest look. "You're not one to carry a conversation gracefully, are you?" he asked.

I huffed again, pouting. "Just trying to change the subject to something I would think you'd be happy to talk about. Yourself."

"And yet you're asking questions that everyone knows the answer to."

"I'm new in town, remember?" I said snidely. "Humor me."

"Are you trying to give me orders, Miss Lucas?"

Shrinking back against the seat, I said softly, "No, sir."

"Good."

And silence filled the car for the rest of the ride.

* * *

We pulled up to a large iron gate. LaCroix lowered his window and input a code on a keypad right outside the gate. The doors swung open, letting us into the courtyard of an immense mansion. It was well lit, looking more like a classic museum than living quarters. "Bloody Malkavians," LaCroix grumbled as he pulled up the parking break. "They always choose to live so far out of the way and never want to come around when you need them." He looked at me. I looked back. "You're going in," he told me.

"What about you?"

"I'm staying here."

"But...why do _I_ have to go in? I thought you said I was bait! Not that I like the sound of _that _any better, but what happened to 'strength in numbers'?"

LaCroix sighed with annoyance and leaned closer to me. "_You_ are going in because that man has developed quite a paranoia about me," he said, staring into my eyes. "_You_ are baiting _him_ out _here._ Understand?"

I nodded slowly. "But...'strength in numbers'..." I said weakly.

The corner of his mouth twitched in a smile. "That comes when he finds out I'm in the car. I expect I'll need your help getting him in here."

"What did you do to make him so scared of you?"

LaCroix frowned. "I've done nothing. He's Malkavian." I blinked at him, giving my best "I have no idea what's going on so I'll just stare at you until you decide to enlighten me" look. LaCroix grumbled under his breath. "Has Mercurio told you _nothing_ of the clans?"

"A little?" I said. "I...may not have paid attention during that lesson. Fully."

He stared at me until I shivered and glanced at the floor of the car. "I suggest you begin to pay attention so you at least _look_ like you're worthy of being my ghoul, Miss Lucas," he said, ice lacing his words.

"Yes, sir."

"Malkavians are cursed with madness that is carried through their clan's blood," LaCroix explained. "Their madness manifests itself in different ways for each Malkavian, but it is always present. This one seems to pick random people to turn into the devil and refuses to willingly deal with any of them. I, unfortunately, am one of those people. This makes meetings rather problematic, and I have brought it up to the other Primogen, but they are—as always—slow to come to a decision regarding a resolution to this problem."

I suddenly felt sorry for the vampire in the mansion. I could relate. I was terrified of LaCroix most of the time myself. "So, I just go up, knock on the door...then what?"

"Be honest. Tell Calvin he must attend an important meeting."

"Just don't tell him it's with you," I clarified. LaCroix nodded. "Got it." I climbed out of the car, slamming the passenger door a little harder than I had to. Poor car, but I did it for LaCroix's benefit. I wanted him to know I was a little pissed. As if he cared.

I walked up the steps to the huge double doors at the entrance to the mansion. I spent a couple minutes looking for a bell, then resorted to rapping my knuckles on the wood. No bell, no door knocker. "Peek a boo," someone whispered right next to my ear. I screamed and jumped. I lost my footing and fell into a sitting position, my back pressed against the door. A young looking man was crouched down in front of me with a grin on his face. "I found you, sissy," he whispered.

Once my heart got out of my throat, I could speak again. "Sis—sissy?"

"It's taken so long to find you, sissy!" He crawled forward on his hands and knees before taking one of my hands in his and sitting crosslegged in front of me. "You always pick good hiding places. You need to show me some!"

I blinked at him. I was pretty sure I had the right guy now, but this situation was just too weird. "Calvin?"

"Yes, sissy?" He grinned at me, petting the back of my hand.

I tried to smile sweetly. "I had to stop the game because it's time for you to go to a very important meeting," I told him.

He frowned. "No."

I pouted, then covered his hand with mine. "Why not, honey?"

"_He'll_ be there." The man looked around nervously.

"Who?"

Calvin edged a little closer and took one of his hands back from me. He ran it down my face while looking at me with a dreamy expression. "The one who dances through your veins," he said in a whisper. My eyes widened with awe. How could he know that I'd drunk LaCroix's blood? His hand moved from my cheek to my jaw, which he grabbed hard enough to feel like my jawbone was being crushed. "He has not given you his teeth yet." He took his hand away from my face and bit down on his index finger, his fangs sinking into his flesh. He tipped his head back and dangled his finger above his mouth, letting the blood drip onto his tongue.

I shivered. "Calvin, please, this is important. They need you there. Come with me, okay? I'll make sure you're safe."

Calvin's head snapped down to look at me, a droplet of blood landing on his nose. I reached up to gently wipe it away, but he didn't seem to notice it. "Sissy will be with me?"

"As long as I can be, honey," I said. At least I would be for the ride back to town. Possibly the ride back here.

My response made him grin, and he jumped to his feet. He ran down the stairs in front of me and threw open the back door to the car. He leaned in, pointing his bloody finger at LaCroix. "You can't touch me, golden devil!" he yelled, laughing as he climbed into the back seat. "My sissy will keep your molten eyes off me."

LaCroix gave me an odd look as I got in. I responded with only a shrug. "Well done," he said in an odd tone.

I gave him my sweetest smile as I buckled my safety belt. "Thank you, sir," I chirped. Turning towards the back seat, I said, "Buckle up, Cal. Golden devil here drives like the bat outta Hell he is." Calvin giggled like a little boy at that, and I got a cold glare from LaCroix. Totally worth it.


	3. Chapter 3

The drive back to town was mostly uneventful. Calvin only shouted at LaCroix to "watch out for those!" a few times ("Those" were the lines on the road, we finally realized...). LaCroix only threatened Calvin's life twice. I was proud of him. However, I _did_ wish he hadn't threatened at all, considering the fact that _I_ was the one who wound up being choked by Calvin's arms wrapping around me from behind while he screamed, "Save me, sissy!" By the time we arrived back at Venture Tower, LaCroix's fangs were showing; and I was half deafened by the Malkavian who had apparently never heard the term "indoor voice."

Calvin hid crouched in a corner of the elevator with an arm wrapped around my leg as we rode up to one of LaCroix's conference rooms. LaCroix stared straight ahead at the elevator doors as he asked me, "I trust you'll be able to stay awake to accompany me _back_ to Calvin's estate?"

"I hope so," I said, trying to hide a badly timed yawn.

"As do I." The elevator stopped on the 30th floor, and we walked down a hallway to a room that had ceiling-to-floor glass for interior walls. I could see the other Primogen waiting for our arrival. We were the last to show, it seemed.

"Okay, Cal, you gotta go in there and do your thing," I told him, giving him a big smile. "I'll be right outside. You'll be able to see me through the glass, okay?"

Calvin narrowed his eyes at me, then looked at LaCroix. "Watch him," Calvin said in the most serious voice he'd adopted all night, pointing a finger at LaCroix. I nodded and narrowed my eyes at LaCroix. Using my first two fingers of my right hand, I pointed at my eyes, then pointed at LaCroix. He glared at me in response. I shrugged and sat on the floor outside the elevator, tracing patterns on the marble tiled floor with my fingernail.

While the most powerful of Kindred society in the city were having their little pow-wow, I could hardly keep myself awake. Yeah, I'd taken a nap for most of the previous day; but I was bored out of my skull. I couldn't even eavesdrop; LaCroix seemed to take soundproofing in his building seriously. Over an hour had passed when I jolted awake, someone's arms around my neck. "Sissy, keep me safe from gold devil again?" he asked. "He hasn't gotten you to his side yet."

I chuckled. Strangely, I could get attached to this guy. I'd always been the little sister, not the big sister/protector. "Yeah, of course." I got to my feet and stretched as LaCroix came out of the conference room. "Back to the Batmobile?" I asked him with a grin. I got a small growl in response. Or maybe it was a grunt. In either case, it was far from the eloquent condescension that normally came from LaCroix. As the elevator doors closed and LaCroix punched the button for the ground floor, I asked softly, "Didn't go so well?"

I saw him look at me from the corner of his eye before saying, "Later, Miss Lucas."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Silence and tension sat with us in the car on the way back to Calvin's mansion. Even the Malkavian kept quiet in the back seat. The ride was faster than our drive there earlier in the evening, much to my chagrin. When we pulled up to the door, Calvin jumped out of the car and ran into the mansion without a look back. I got out to close the back door he'd forgotten, then got back into the passenger seat. "You all right?" I asked.

"Yes." LaCroix revved the car's engine three times before putting it in gear and speeding down the long driveway back to the road. I glanced at his hands on the steering wheel, expecting them to be white-knuckled. I couldn't tell; he was wearing black leather driving gloves. That made me smile a bit. He seemed the type.

"Can we at least take it a little slower?" I asked as the tires squealed around a curve. My heart wouldn't be able to take much more of this.

"Criticism about my driving, Miss Lucas?"

"No! The fact that you've kept us alive in spite of the whole speed factor thing is definitely impressive!" I gritted my teeth and braced as I saw another curve coming up.

To my surprise, LaCroix chuckled. "'Us,' Miss Lucas?"

"Uh..." I ran my last sentence through my head, picking out where I'd called him alive along with me. Well, I tend to do that when the dead man next to me is driving like a madman. It makes _me_ feel better at least. "You know what I mean," I mumbled instead of voicing my thoughts.

Another quiet laugh. "Indeed." I was relieved when he began to slow down a bit. The more leisurely speed let me relax my grip on the door handle. There wasn't much to look at through the window. I felt myself drifting off, leaning against the car door. I heard LaCroix say, "I think I would be quite nervous to have you behind the wheel of a car. You tend to drift off when you're in one."

"'S better than getting carsick," I said without opening my eyes.

"You may have a point there." A moment of silence passed by, then LaCroix spoke again. "We're not _that_ far out of town, Miss Lucas. Any nap you get will be over soon."

I laughed, opening my eyes and turning towards him. "What, _now_ you turn into a conversationalist?"

The car revved up in speed a little. I began to put two and two together. The more pissed he is, the faster he drives. "Trying to distract myself as best I know how," he said softly.

"Distract from what?"

"Thirst."

"Oh." I looked down at my lap. That's why he was so stressed out. But why would he tell _me_ of all people? Sebastian LaCroix is not exactly the type of man one would expect to open up and tell you what's bothering him without practically sedating him first. I ran a hand through my hair, pulling it back over my shoulders, then had a thought. I glanced at LaCroix as my hand massaged the side of my neck. "Um...you know...if you wanna pull over or something..." I bit my lip, not quite sure what I was doing.

He looked at me from the corner of his eye. "Go on."

"Well, I was just thinking... If you're thirsty enough to be distracted, it must have been a long time since you've...fed. And, well, I'm right here, so...I just thought...maybe..."

"You're offering your own blood?" He turned to me for a brief moment, long enough for me to notice that he has a nice smile.

Taking a deep breath, I returned the smile. "Yeah. I am. I mean, you've done a lot for me. It's the least I could do. I know you wouldn't kill me. So why not?"

"I appreciate the offer, Miss Lucas, thank you." I blinked in amazement. LaCroix was actually _thanking_ me for something? "However, I'll decline."

Confused, I said, "But you said you were thirsty."

"I am. However, I tend to be more discerning with my feeding than most. I prefer to be certain that the blood is of a particular quality before drinking."

"Oh." I sat back and wondered why I was pouting. I guess I felt insulted, in a sense. "How do you know?"

"Sometimes by knowing the person, in one way or another. Other times by smell. Rarely by taste first."

"So...how do you know I'm not good enough?" I asked, unable to stop the question.

He gave me a sideways glance. "I never said you weren't."

"Then why won't you take my blood?"

That drew a laugh from him. "Miss Lucas, you are sounding positively desperate. I get the impression that vampires have been highly romanticized in your mind." I blushed, staying quiet and trying to not let him know that he was right. "There are several reasons, Miss Lucas, the most important one being that I do have more will power than to feel I need to pull the car off the road and lunge at you like a wild animal. I can wait until we get back to town."

"And _then_ you're going to lunge at me like a wild animal?" I asked, smirking.

A moment's silence. Then, "I trust I don't have to humor you with a response to that."

"No, sir. I was just kidding." Another moment of silence. "You _did_ leave yourself wide open for that, though," I mumbled.

"_Touché_, Miss Lucas."

* * *

LaCroix stopped in front of my apartment building to drop me off. Before I could get out of the car, he was telling me to find a way to connect my email and cell phone. "I can't be expected to abide by your schedule when you decide to go traipsing about while I need things done," he told me.

"Right, and I can't be expected to sit by my computer all night, refreshing constantly and hoping an email comes in," I shot back as I opened the car door. "I swear, you _want_ me to look like a love-sick little ghoul." I slammed the car door and turned to the building. Behind me, I heard the engine turn off and another car door slam. "Walking me to my door now?" I asked without turning around. "You _are_ a gentleman after all!"

LaCroix yanked the door to the building open and nearly shoved me inside. The on-site guard lowered the newspaper he'd been reading and sat a little straighter, raising an eyebrow at me. LaCroix noticed the man as well and straightened up a bit, leading me to the elevator with a hand on my shoulder. "How's it goin', miss?" the guard called to me as we waited.

"Good," I answered, glancing up at LaCroix. "Just a little tipsy. My friend's making sure I get to bed okay without cracking my skull open."

The guard chuckled, then I heard the page of his newspaper turn. The elevator doors opened, and we stepped in. Crisis averted. "Great, now he probably thinks I'm a hooker or something," I muttered, idly inspecting my fingernails. "Why _are_ you coming up with me anyway?"

"_Ensuring _that your phone will alert you when I need you." He wasn't looking at me, just staring straight ahead as usual.

"You know, you _can _call me," I stressed. "If it's really that important, you _should_ have my number."

"Too easy to get distracted with questions or get off topic," he replied shortly. "Email is more precise and gets you to my office more quickly. That is, _when_ you check it." He looked down at me now. I shivered and looked away.

When we reached my apartment, I slid my keycard and opened the door wide to let LaCroix in first. Why, I don't know. It was _my_ apartment, after all...even if _he_ paid my rent. Must have been a ghoul thing. Respect for one's master or something. He took a cursory glance around as I hurried to one of the chairs and picked up some dirty clothes that were lying there. He then went upstairs to my computer. _Great, now my boss knows I wear polka-dotted underwear. This is fabulous,_ I thought, dumping the clothes into the hamper.

"Miss Lucas, come up here." I thought about telling him to say "please" while in my apartment, then decided not to push any more buttons. Instead, I joined him at the computer. "Explain." He had his arms crossed over his chest and was glaring at me. His eyes shifted from me to the computer screen and back.

I leaned down and saw an email from my brother. "Scottie's my brother," I explained. "What's wrong with that?"

LaCroix took a deep breath and leaned his elbows on my desk, cradling his forehead in his hands for a moment. When he looked up at me again, he just shook his head. "We'll talk tomorrow," he finally said. "Your email is set. _Don't_ ignore it. Come to my office tomorrow night at nine."

"But I--"

"_Tomorrow,_ Miss Lucas." He stood and massaged his forehead for a moment. "I don't have the time nor the energy to deal with you any more tonight."

"Hey, I _offered_ to help with that," I protested.

"So you did." He passed me and went down to the living area. "Good evening." With that, he left.

I let out a growl of frustration. "Son of a...bastard...scumbag...spoiled rotten..._prince!_" I sat in the desk chair in front of my computer and tapped my finger on the desk rapidly. _What was wrong with giving my brother my email address? Why do I need to "talk" to Prince Prissy-Pants about it tomorrow? _Not a single answer popped into my head. Plus, I was still oddly pissed that he'd turned down what I thought had been a generous offer on my part to let him drink my blood. "Picky damned Ventrue," I muttered.

I opened a new email window and began tapping out a note to Mercurio. He was the one I'd go to when I needed to vent. I emptied all my thoughts about the night's events, from Nines to the drive to Calvin's to my being turned down by LaCroix to the email thing. As I read over what I had typed, I tried to think of what Mercurio's response might be. The one that kept ringing in my head was the question that was already there: _"Why do you care where he gets his blood from? You would have been knocked loopy for the rest of the night if he'd taken yours."_

Then the answer hit me, making me delete my in-progress email because I didn't want to acknowledge my answer, not to mention the fact that I didn't want to have to send said answer to Mercurio. "I have a crush on my boss. I'm jealous," I said out loud. "Oh. My. God. No. Please, no. Not _him_." I shook my head hard. "I must be really desperate. I need to get laid. Or something. This is...no." But that was the only explanation. After the dream I'd had, and the feelings I got when I drank his blood and thought of that look he gave me when his finger was in my mouth, and now this... I knocked my fist against my head gently. "Sleep. That will help. Time to get to sleep."

I got ready for bed, turned out my lights, got under the covers, and stared at the ceiling in the dark. And wondered what it felt like to have a vampire drink one's blood. Especially when the vampire in question wears really nice French cologne and—_DAMMIT BAD THOUGHT. _With a frustrated groan, I tossed the pillow over my head and rolled over to try to sleep.

* * *

The next night, at nine on the dot, I made sure I was in LaCroix's office. "Aw, don't tell me the prick isn't here," I said out loud after scanning the room for him. Nowhere in sight, nor was his sheriff. "_I_ can be on time, but he can't bother to be here at the time _he_ said. Typical." I crossed the room to one of the red leather couches and sat down, crossing my arms and my legs after setting down my clutch purse on the seat next to me. I stared down at my arms, noticing how nicely my cleavage was shown off in the blouse I was wearing, especially when my arms were crossed like this. It made me smile a bit. I was by no means busty; but like this, I could fool people. Doubled up with the navy blue skirt I'd chosen and black patent heels? Knockout. Why did I dress up for my meeting with LaCroix? I have no idea. Sleep deprivation was what I blamed it on.

I only had to wait a few moments before the door to his office opened, and LaCroix came in looking quite disheveled. He was struggling into his normal long, black coat while attempting to walk and tie his necktie at the same time. His hair wasn't slicked back as perfectly as it normally was, and I could have sworn he was missing a cufflink. "My apologies, Miss Lucas," he said quietly as he passed where I sat. I stood and followed him to his desk. "I know I'm running late."

"That's...okay," I said, a little unsure of what to say. By his appearance, I'd say that he had either overslept—which I wasn't sure could happen to a vampire—or he had just gotten finished with a quickie. That latter thought got squashed in my head really quickly, by the way. "Is everything all right?" I asked.

"Yes, fine, just..." He made a frustrated sound and threw the coat into his chair, instead deciding to fuss with his tie. "Had a fitting with my tailor and the damned Toreador kept arguing with me that a _blue_ tuxedo would look better than a _black_ tuxedo. Have you ever heard of anything but a _black_ tuxedo? Honestly."

I stifled a laugh as he seemed to get a finger caught in the knot at his neck and unraveled the whole thing. "Actually, I have; but they're not popular," I answered. "So, you ran late because of that, and now you're all flustered." I crossed my arms over my chest and smiled at him.

"Yes. Yes, exactly." He glanced at me, and I caught him doing a double-take. Cleavage: dead or alive, a man's greatest weakness. "That, on top of a million other things I've got to take care of tonight..."

"Here." I was tired of watching him fumble and took his hands away from the tie. I quickly tied the knot for him, making sure it wasn't too snug. My mother had taught me at a young age how to tie a man's tie; an indispensable talent for the future, she'd called it. Besides, seeing him out of sorts actually made me feel a little sorry for him. "What do you need a tuxedo for, anyway?"

"Um...thank you..." He watched my hands expertly fix his tie, then gave me a weird look, as if he was saying "Why'd you do that?" He instead took a deep breath and answered my question. "I'm attending a Ventrue gathering next week. An old acquaintance sired a childe of his own a few months back, and it's her presentation into the Ventrue ranks." He reached into a drawer in his desk and pulled out a new pair of cufflinks, replacing the lone one on his left sleeve. "It's been over fifty years since I've had to make an appearance at one of these events, so I figured it was only appropriate to wear something fitting for such an occasion."

"Ah. I see," I said. I noticed that his hair was beginning to fall into his eyes as he looked down to fasten the cufflinks.

Without thinking, I reached up to sweep a wayward lock of blond hair off his forehead, making his head snap up to look at me. The action startled me, making me freeze in place, my fingers still in his hair. I had a full-on movie moment, his eyes locked on mine, my hand running through his hair, hardly a few inches between us. Of course, instead of that moment leading into a brush of his hand on my face and a romantic kiss, it was broken by his narrowing his eyes slightly and saying, "Thank you, Miss Lucas, I can handle myself from here."

The trance broken, I jerked my hand back like I'd been touching a hot stove, stammering an apology. My long fingernails caught the back of his ear by accident, making him wince in pain and reflexively bring a hand up to the injured ear. "Oh my god, I am _so_ sorry!" I said, trying to make him pull his hand down. "Did I get you bad? Is it bleeding?"

"Considering the fact that it takes a _lot _more than a simple scratch to make me bleed, Miss Lucas, I think it's safe to say that you did not." Oh yeah...vampire...I'd forgotten. I shrank back a couple steps, biting my lip.

LaCroix turned his back to me, and I could tell he was taking a few deep breaths. "Um...why do vampires do that?" I asked, my curiosity bubbling out of me at the worst possible moment, as usual. "I mean, you don't have to breathe."

Absolute silence hung in the air for several seconds, and I almost thought that he was going to either ignore the question entirely or rip my head off then and there. Instead, he said, "Habit. An old habit that hangs on to nearly all of us."

"Oh." After another few seconds of silence, LaCroix walked over to the desk chair and took his coat from the back of it, putting it on. "Um...maybe...it would be better to meet at a different time?" I asked. "I know last night you said you didn't have the energy to deal with me, and I think tonight's probably not going any better..."

"I have too much to do to postpone our meeting, so I'll be brief." When LaCroix finally turned to me, he looked almost himself. Same cold, haughty features; same dark suit he always wore; but I'd never noticed that twitch in his right eye until now. I had a feeling that I was the cause of it. "You are not allowed to give your company email address _or_ information about this company to _anyone_. That _includes_ family. I'd prefer if you didn't have contact with them at all; but since you are my ghoul and not my childe, I will allow it for now. _If_ you only speak with them through an email account on a more public domain and refrain from discussing your work with them. Am I understood?"

"Very clearly, sir," I said with a nod.

"Good." He brushed that wayward lock of hair back again as he sat down.

I was going to explode if I didn't say what was on my mind, and it came bubbling out of my mouth. "I don't know why you couldn't have said that last night."

"_Out!_" LaCroix roared, a finger jabbed in the direction of the door. I jumped and nearly ran out of the office. However, my ankles don't like high-heeled shoes; and I managed to twist my right ankle as I was hurrying out, falling flat on the hardwood floor. Sitting up, I rubbed my ankle with my hand, swearing under my breath and just barely keeping myself from throwing my shoe. I heard a sigh from across the office, followed by, "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm _fine_," I replied hotly. I struggled to my feet and turned to leave, not realizing how much pain my ankle was in until I put weight on it. Down I went again. "Goddamned motherfucking whore fucking _heels_!" I yelled, this time taking off my right shoe and throwing it at the door.

Another sigh from LaCroix's direction. I took off my left shoe and got to my feet again, this time stepping gingerly on my right. I wondered for the hundredth time that hour why I'd bothered to get dressed up for _this_. As I limped out of the office, I picked up my thrown shoe and turned back towards LaCroix. "Good evening, _sir_," I called to him before slamming the door.

Once I was in the elevator, I sat on the floor, working my ankle until it felt somewhat all right again. When I reached the ground floor, I got to my feet, ignoring the looks from the people waiting to board the elevator, and left for home. Halfway home, I felt my cell phone vibrating in my skirt pocket. I had an email.

_Subject: Your pocketbook_

_From: LaCroix_

_You left your pocketbook on the couch in my office._

_Are you sure you're uninjured?_

_-SL_

I snorted. _**Now**__ he acts halfway human. __**Now**__ he cares._ When I was finally back in my apartment, I walked up to my computer and replied to his email.

_Subject: RE:Your pocketbook_

_From: Lucas, N._

_I'll get it next time I'm up there. Nothing much in there besides makeup anyway._

_I'm fine, thanks for asking._

_~Nat_

After sending the reply, I browsed the web for a while, halfway wondering if I'd get a response back from him. I didn't. No _real _surprise there. I killed two hours, then changed into some jeans, leaving the blouse on since I liked the way it looked, and headed out to find a cab. I needed to talk to Mercurio.

* * *

**A/N (putting this at the beginning of the first chapter AND here for those who have already been reading...): This story takes place in a VtM:B AU sorta, just in the fact that the game hasn't taken place. There has been no Ankaran Sarcophagus, no Gehenna, etc. I'd say it was BEFORE the events of the game, but I doubt I could make an excuse for some characters' actions in this fic and then reverting to the way they are in Bloodlines. So we'll call this slightly AU. Enjoy!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me..." I said, feeling every pocket in my clothing, hoping I'd find some cash to pay the taxi driver. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I remembered shoving my money into my purse...the one still sitting in LaCroix's office. "Okay, I gotta get my friend to pay you for me. Can you wait for one minute?"

"Meter's running," the driver told me.

"Yeah, yeah..." I ran into Mercurio's apartment building and knocked on his door.

"You're out late," Mercurio said when he found me at his door. He opened the door wider to let me in. "Everything okay?"

"Fine, but can you pay my cab for me? I forgot my purse, and he's waiting outside." Mercurio chuckled and followed me out to the cab to pay. "I'll pay you back, I _promise_," I told Mercurio as we headed back inside. I sighed, flopping onto his couch. "God, what a night."

"What's the matter?" Mercurio asked as he closed the door behind him.

"LaCroix's still on my ass over every little thing, but I'm apparently not good enough to drink from for him. _And_ I managed to make a total fool of myself in his office today."

"Whoa, whoa, do me a favor and start from the beginning, kiddo." Mercurio poured me a glass of whiskey and handed it to me before sitting next to me, putting his arm around my shoulders.

I took a drink before speaking again. "I just can't do _anything_ right. Everything I say gets me in trouble. I mean, he had me go to his office today because he saw an email from Scottie on my computer last night."

"That doesn't sound like the beginning," Mercurio said with a chuckle.

I sighed. "Okay. Last night, he picked me up to go get some Malkavian big wig who thinks LaCroix's the devil or something. When we got back, he told me to set up my email to go to my cell phone. No big deal. For some reason, he took it upon himself to come in and set it up _for _me and saw Scottie's email. Then he made a big deal about setting up a 'meeting' tonight to talk about it because he 'didn't have the energy to deal' with me anymore last night." I took another sip, savoring the burn of the alcohol going down my throat. "So I get there tonight; and number one, _he's_ late; and number two, he just wanted to tell me to get a private email address to talk to family and to not talk about work. That was it! Why he couldn't just say that last night, I don't know."

Mercurio studied me for a few seconds before putting down his glass. "Okay, we're missin' a couple pieces of the puzzle here," he said. "First of all, what was that about not being good enough for him to drink your blood? 'Cause I'm _real_ interested in hearing that."

Staring at the amber liquid in my glass, I felt my face get warm. I tried to blame it on the alcohol, but I knew otherwise. "When we were driving back from Calvin's house—Calvin, he's the Malkavian guy—LaCroix was really on edge. I was kinda worried, so I asked if everything was okay. He finally said he was thirsty. I offered to let him drink from me, and he turned me down. Some bullshit about being picky or whatever."

"He's Ventrue," Mercurio chuckled. "Some of their kind can't even drink from just anyone without getting sick. Others tend to just be picky. I dunno which LaCroix is. Never cared to ask." I shrugged, staying silent. "Okay, so piece two now. How'd you make a fool of yourself if you were just there for a few minutes?"

"Twisted my damned ankle 'cause I was wearing heels. Fell on my ass. _Twice._"

"Why were you wearing heels?"

"I don't know!" I threw up my empty hand in frustration. "I guess I thought I'd dress professionally to meet with him for once. So I had on a skirt and all that and wound up fuckin' pissing him off and broke my ass tryin' to get out of there when I got thrown out."

Mercurio looked like he was trying to hide a smile. "Don't tell me you were tryin' to _impress_ him..."

"No! I mean, I wanted him to see that I could be mature."

"Were you wearin' that top?" I took a drink and nodded. "You were tryin' to impress him." Mercurio sat back with a smug smile on his face.

"I was not!"

"Bull. No dame in my day _or_ now dresses up in a top like that and heels unless she's tryin' to catch an eye or two."

"Yeah, well, even though I _wasn't_ trying to, I caught him looking at least once." It was my turn to feel smug.

"No shit?" I nodded and tossed back the rest of my drink. "All right, Nat, I think we need to talk."

"I already had that talk with Mom," I said, rolling my eyes.

"No, not _that_ talk," Mercurio said. "I don't want you tryin' to put the moves on LaCroix."

I reeled back, shocked he'd say it. "I—what? I wouldn't—I mean, yeah, he's—but no, I--"

"How'd you catch him lookin'?"

"Um..." I ran back the events in my mind. "He...was late because of some tuxedo fitting, and he was trying to take care of his tie and coat and hair all at once when he came in, and I had my arms crossed when he was telling me _why_ he was late, and..." I shrugged.

"How close to him were ya?"

"I dunno. We were both at his desk."

"Close enough for him to smell your perfume, huh?"

I chuckled. "I'm not trying to seduce him."

"Not _consciously_, maybe."

"I'm not!"

"Gee, let's see, Nat. You offer your blood to the guy, you let him into your apartment--"

"He didn't give me a choice on that one!" I interrupted.

Continuing as if I'd said nothing, Mercurio went on, "...you get all dolled up for him, what's next? Seductively licking blood off your finger while winking at him?"

"Um..." I bit my lip. "Actually, it was _his_ finger, and we just made eye contact. No wink."

"_What?" _Mercurio jumped to his feet with a shocked expression.

"I...he...when I got the blood from him the other night, he gave it straight from his wrist, and I don't know why, but he got some of it on his finger and wiped the blood on my lip and let me lick it off, but that was it!" I'd said that all in one breath and had to breathe in deep to reinflate my lungs. "I think he was just sending a message that I'm kinda...his property."

Mercurio raised an eyebrow, and his hands came up in surrender. "Hey, I can see this is way beyond _my_ control already. Good luck, kiddo."

"I'm...but he's...I..." My voice trailed off. There was no more to say.

"Look, either he's playin' with you and you're playin' back, or you both just have some twisted ideas of how you like to work together. Either way, I'm stayin' out of it." Mercurio sat back down on the couch for a second, then jumped up for another glass of alcohol.

"I'm not in love with him if that's what you're thinking," I protested.

After taking a swallow of whiskey from the bottle, Mercurio laughed. "That don't sound like _love_ to me, anyway."

"What, you think I want to...with _him?_" I gestured at thin air as if LaCroix was standing next to me. "I don't! He's dead! That's disgusting!"

Mercurio took another swallow, shrugging. "Okay, okay. I'm just sayin' what it looks like. No wonder you two got rumors goin' around."

"Huh! Well, they're wrong!" I rubbed my hand over my face wearily. This visit wasn't helping at all. "I'd better go before you get totally sauced," I said. "Can I get a few bucks for the cab back?"

Mercurio nodded, handing me a couple twenties. "Listen. My only word of advice: don't get involved with these vamps romantically, okay? They're gonna outlive you, and they ain't got no souls. Last thing I need is my granddaughter gettin' her heart broken by one o' them bloodsuckers."

"All right, grandpa, I'll be careful," I promised him, kissing him on the cheek before I left.

* * *

"_He has not given you his teeth yet." A voice in the darkness._

"_I don't want him to," I reply to it._

"_Do you think he cares what you want?" another voice says._

"_No, but why would he Embrace me?" I ask. "I'm not Ventrue material."_

_A chuckle behind me. I try to turn but can't move. Cold hands on my shoulders. A breeze on my neck. Teeth. I try to scream as my flesh is pierced, but it fades into a moan of pleasure. I fall back against him._

I awoke as I landed on the floor, tangled in my bedsheets. Rubbing my bruised shoulder, I sat up, trying to remember the dream. Did I recognize the voices? Calvin's, yes. The other, though, I didn't. I was dismayed to have another dream about LaCroix, albeit indirectly. I may not have seen him in the dream, but he was obviously the topic of discussion.

Extricating myself from my bedsheets, I gathered them up and tossed them back on the bed before walking to the kitchen for some water. Since I'd been made a ghoul, I'd been having all kinds of weird dreams. I never used to dream before that. Now, I was lucky to go a night without one. I was more disturbed, however, by who was starring in them more and more often lately. I figured it was because I'd had to be around him so much recently. Mercurio said he'd only been around the guy a handful of times. I wondered if I already had him beat there.

As I washed my water glass, I realized I was wide awake in spite of getting to bed at nearly 4 AM. It was only 9 AM. I shrugged and went to take a shower. _Carpe diem, _I thought. _Might as well seize the day.

* * *

_

I decided to walk to Venture Tower and pick up my purse. I was feeling pretty ingenious, considering the fact that going during daylight hours meant no LaCroix to deal with. And, in turn, he didn't have to deal with me. Win/win. As I walked, I wondered where he went to spend his daylight hours. Did he have a fancy apartment nearby? Did he have a coffin in the basement of the tower? Did he sleep in a bed or a coffin? Do vampires toss and turn in their sleep, or is it their only time when they're motionless like death? I chuckled to myself, shaking my head. No wonder I was having weird dreams. Vampires were all I thought about. There was so much I didn't know...

When I walked up to the front desk at Venture Tower, a security guard appearing to be in his mid-forties looked up at me. I was surprised to not recognize him, then remembered that I didn't know anyone in the tower who'd be working a day shift. "I'm Natalie Lucas," I told him with a smile. "I left something in Sebastian LaCroix's office last night, and I just need to pick it up."

He regarded me with a frown, then shook his head. "No one goes up to Mr. LaCroix's office when he's not here," he said.

I frowned as well. "I'm just going to get my purse," I argued. "Look, you can come with me if you want. It's not as if I'm going to be snooping around or stealing anything."

The guard shook his head. "I'm sorry, miss. Strict orders. No one goes up to the penthouse when Mr. LaCroix isn't in the building. No exceptions."

"Please?" I was near begging. "It has my ID and my money in it! I need it!"

The guard stood to tower over me. "No. Exceptions."

For a moment, I considered bursting into tears as I'd done with traffic cops to get out of speeding tickets, try to play the sympathy card. I decided against it when I remembered that this guy works for LaCroix and probably was chosen for his lack of personality and heart. So instead, I just nodded, gave a tight smile that probably looked more like a grimace, and went back home.

There wasn't much I could do. I read, watched tv, browsed the web, and napped. I was in the middle of one of those naps when my cell phone began to buzz, waking me. I looked at it and said, "Oh crap."

_Subject: I'd like a word with you_

_From: LaCroix_

_My office. Now. - SL_

"What'd I do now?" I asked out loud as I got off the couch and stretched. His emails were usually straight to the point, but this just seemed more curt than usual for LaCroix. It worried me.

I hardly had time to close the door to LaCroix's office before he began to speak. "Would you care to guess how I was greeted when I went to check messages at the front desk today?" he asked as he stood behind his desk, arms crossed.

"Uh--"

Despite his question, he didn't give me the chance to guess. "The security personnel told me that my 'girlfriend' had been by earlier in the day. A Miss Natalie Lucas." He paused as my jaw dropped. "Now, would you care to tell me _why_ he got that impression?"

"I have no idea!" I said, my eyes wide. "I came by to get my purse, but he told me I couldn't come up because you weren't here!"

LaCroix stared at me for several seconds before sighing and leaning on the desk. "Tell me what was said," he said in a calm voice. I recognized it as the kind of calm voice that comes before a storm of screaming.

I took a deep breath, trying to think of the short exchange from that morning. "I told him I had left something in the office last night. He told me I couldn't go up because no one can be in the penthouse when you're not in the building."

LaCroix interrupted by holding up a hand. "Did you tell him _what_ you had left?"

"Yes."

"Then there it is." I gave him a confused look, and he began to walk out from behind the desk. "You told him that you had left your purse, one of a woman's most precious accessories, in _my_ office. At night. What does that say to _you_?"

I blinked as he came within a few steps from me. "That...I'm...forgetful and was doing business with you during the only hours you're here?"

"It says, to _most_ people, that you were having such a good time up here, that you forgot something important. And the fact that you specifically say 'doing business' amuses me greatly, because I can only picture what _kind_ of business they must think you have with me now." LaCroix clasped his hands behind his back and took a deep breath. "How many times are we going to have to have this kind of talk, Miss Lucas?"

"Until idiots realize that not every business meeting between a male and female has to be about sex?" I shot back, angry. "I have no idea! I came by because I wanted to go grocery shopping. I couldn't do that without money. So I came to get my purse. I didn't think it'd be such a big _fucking_ deal!"

LaCroix stared at me until my eyes fell to the floor as I realized I was losing my temper at him. "I, better than anyone else here, realize that you're new to this organization," he said in that same quiet voice I'd learned to dread. "However, that does _not_ mean that I should have to hold your hand and tell you, piece by piece, what needs to be handled with discretion and what doesn't! Common sense would tell one that, during daylight hours, anyone who has direct contact with me _ever_ has no business being here. It raises too many questions! And believe me, I've heard them all and have had to deal with them many, many, _many_ times." I caught myself taking an instinctive step back. He was bearing his fangs and raising his voice now. He started counting on his fingers as he talked. "'Why does Mr. LaCroix work nights only?' 'Why do I never see him around?' 'How can he run a business if he's not even _here _when the rest of the country is awake?' 'Have you ever even seen the man?' I could go on, Miss Lucas."

I shook my head. "Point made," I said softly.

"Questions like that are dangerous," he said, stepping closer to me. "Anytime they come up, I inevitably wind up having to fire someone if not have them killed or otherwise dealt with."

"Killed?" I said incredulously. My voice was a squeak as I said the word.

"Only out of necessity, I assure you," he said, frowning. "Questions like that are always the beginning of something bigger. People who ask the questions will never take the simple answer. They fancy themselves the greatest detectives ever because they watch too much television. Therefore, they start snooping around. It's risking the Masquerade."

Nodding slowly, I conceded. "Okay. I'll be more careful. No more daytime visits to Venture Tower for any reason."

"Also, you shouldn't normally have any reason to mention that you, at times, come up here _at night_," he said, turning and beginning to walk back to his desk. I took that opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief. I may live to see another sunrise. "The only people who may be given that information are Kindred and other ghouls. To anyone of whom you're unsure, don't say a word. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." As he reached his desk, he stopped. I saw him lower his head, then begin shaking it. "You're going to be the death of me," he said, but I was surprised to hear a chuckle in his voice.

"Sir?"

He was still chuckling when he turned around. "These problems we've had have made me very glad indeed that I don't have to be concerned about the normal human health problems. Ulcers, heart attacks, high blood pressure..."

I nodded, staring at the floor. I couldn't decide if this was his way of taking a jab at me or if he was being honest. "Was that all, sir?" I asked. I just needed to get out of that office.

"Not quite." He cleared his throat, regaining his professional composure. He reached into a desk drawer and held a folder out to me. "Here. Take this. You're to deliver it to 3417 North Winchester Drive, a Mister Philip Kelley. _Hand_ deliver it to him. Do not entrust it to anyone else."

"What is it?" I asked, looking at the nondescript manila envelope.

"His invitation to Miss Xavier's presentation gala," he said. "I'm the closest acquaintance to him in regards to distance, so it was entrusted to me."

I nodded slowly. "That's the thing you were getting the tux for?" LaCroix nodded. "Gotcha. 3417 North Winchester, to Mr. Kelley."

"Good." LaCroix actually smiled a little. "Feel free to put cab fare on my tab. The drivers around here are all familiar with the procedure."

"Will do." I grinned and began to leave, happy to have actually gotten an assignment. They'd been few and far between.

"Miss Lucas."

"Yes?" LaCroix shifted his eyes to the couch where my purse was still lying. "Oh. Uh, yeah, thanks." I picked it up and hurried out.

* * *

I thanked the cab driver and walked into my apartment building, satisfied with how my assignment had gone. I'd received minimal resistance from the maid who had opened the door at Mr. Kelley's mansion. I told her it was imperative that I give the envelope straight to Mr. Kelley, and she let me in with a rolling of the eyes and a deep sigh. I had the feeling she was used to this sort of thing but would never pass by an opportunity to let the messenger know how much it irritated her.

Mr. Kelley was what I figured to be your typical Ventrue. Dressed in an expensive suit, dark hair slicked back, perpetually bored expression when made to talk to "commoners." Not too different from LaCroix, really, though this man looked older. If he were human, I'd have guessed late thirties. I knew, however, that there was every possibility that he could be ten times that old. He took the envelope from me, raising an eyebrow slightly when I told him it was from Prince LaCroix. He opened it, glanced at the invitation, barely let himself smile, then told me I could go. In ghoul language, that meant I'd done a good job and everything had gone smooth as silk. For once.

Back at my apartment, I emailed LaCroix quickly, letting him know that the invitation had been delivered as per his orders and asking if he needed anything else. A few minutes later, I received his response. He'd spoken with Mr. Kelley ten minutes earlier and was pleased that I'd followed his instructions to the letter; and no, he didn't have any more work for me at the time. "Okie-dokey, then," I said, smiling at the screen. I felt proud. Something LaCroix had asked me to do had gone _right_ for once. Usually, there was a snag here or a forgotten instruction there; but I nailed this one. As simple as it was. I decided to celebrate with some ice cream. I went downstairs and pulled open the freezer door. "Aw, dammit," I mumbled, shutting it again. I'd forgotten about my grocery shopping. No ice cream for me.


	5. Chapter 5

When the weekend came up, I had nothing much to do. Mercurio had to go out of town on a job over the weekend, so I found myself spending some time at The Asylum in Santa Monica. I sat at the bar for a while, sipping a drink while listening to the pounding music. When I was suitably uninhibited thanks to alcohol, I decided to head to the dance floor. I was really getting into the music when I felt a hand brush my shoulder. Thinking it was just a random member of the crowd, I ignored it. When the hand brushed my stomach, an arm curling around my waist, I looked up. Jeanette Voerman smiled back, pulling me close to her. I was thrown off my guard, but the music and alcohol were having their way with me. As was Jeanette. Our bodies were bumping and grinding together, gathering plenty of attention from the other people on the floor. They all kept dancing, but they had begun to circle around us. I only pulled back from her when she placed a hand on the back of my neck and seemed to be pulling me closer. I stepped back, smiling but shaking my head. She pouted, but I just smiled again as I left the dance floor.

Realizing how much I was sweating, I ordered a bottle of water from the bar. "Aw, kitten," I heard Jeanette's voice say. I turned to see her approaching me, hands on her hips and chest thrust out. "What's the matter?" she asked. "Prefer to keep that kind of thing to the bedroom? 'Cause we can go upstairs if you like..." She reached out and ran her hand down my cheek.

I smiled. "No, thanks, I'm fine."

"Well, what if _I'm_ not?" Another pout came over her face. She took a couple steps closer, pressing up against me again. "You got me all excited with your dancing out there, duckling," she purred, licking her lips.

I chuckled as I took a sip from my water bottle. I'd dealt with Jeanette once in a while since my becoming LaCroix's ghoul, so I was used to her coming on to me a little. It was flattering, but I really didn't have much interest in women. She knew that but always had to try when I came to the club. "I'm sure you can find someone better who can entertain you," I told her.

"Oh, but I don't _want_ someone better!" she argued, stamping her foot. "I'm sure we could entertain each other just fine. I've got some tricks that could change your mind." Her voice got a sing-song tone to it as she tried to convince me.

"Jeanette, I'm sorry. Not tonight."

"Fine," she said, crossing her arms. "Some other time then."

I nodded, just humoring her as I always did. Finally, she left to find someone else more cooperative, and I decided to head home.

On the cab ride home, my phone began to buzz with a new email alert.

_Subject: Tonight_

_From: LaCroix_

_Please make time to come in tonight. I have something I'd like to discuss with you. - SL_

I rolled my eyes, tucking my phone away again. "As usual..." I muttered. More audibly, I asked the cab driver, "Hey, can you drop me off in front of Venture Tower, please?"

* * *

It was shortly after 3 AM that I stepped into LaCroix's office. He was on the telephone. When he saw me, he lifted one finger in a silent "just a moment" gesture. "Yes, of course...Yes, I'll be there between midnight and 1 tomorrow. I promise you, not a moment later, darling...All right. Until tomorrow, then. Good night." I detected a slight shake of his head as he hung up the phone.

"'Darling'?" I asked, smirking as I rested my hands on my hips.

LaCroix sighed and rolled his eyes. "I _hope_ that, once this gala is over, I won't have to be in her company very often," he said. I raised an eyebrow, silently questioning. "Miss Samantha Xavier, the Ventrue being introduced tomorrow evening. She seems to hope for us to become...'close.'" He used finger quotes as he said the last word of the sentence.

I grinned. "She's got a crush on you!"

"Ugh, spare me," he groaned, rolling his eyes again. "The woman's insufferable. Clingy, codependent, lazy, spoiled, and far from clever. I'm afraid her sire Embraced her for all the wrong reasons." He rubbed the space between his eyebrows with a finger for a moment, then stood. "As for why I asked you here, I had a call from Therese Voerman earlier tonight."

"Oh god," I said. It was my turn to roll my eyes.

"I assume you know what I'm about to say, then."

I sighed. "Don't dance with girls, especially Jeanette," I said, nodding my head left in right as I rolled my eyes again.

LaCroix gave me an irritated look. "I don't care with whom you choose to dance, Miss Lucas, as long as it's not one of the anarchs or others that would point towards your being disloyal to the Camarilla. Your sexual preference is no business of mine." My cheeks flamed, and I opened my mouth to argue, but he put up his finger again to stop me. "However, I must ask that you consider the relationships of those with whom you dance. Or with whom you do anything, really. Therese was quite unhappy that one of my agents was 'encouraging her sister's hedonistic ways,' I believe was how she put it." He shrugged. "Frankly, as I said, I couldn't care less. But, I told her I'd mention it to you." With that, he turned and walked to the window.

I deflated a bit. So...he wasn't really mad at me, but he had to yell at me a bit because Therese told him to? I chuckled. "I thought you had _her_ under _your_ thumb, not the other way around."

He whirled around so fast his coat wrapped around his legs for a brief moment. "Now, see here, just because I decided to hear her out and ease her mind by keeping my word does _not_ mean..." His voice trailed off as the door to the office opened.

Three men carrying two boxes a piece came in. "Sorry, Mr. LaCroix," one of them said, the strain in his voice evident. "These are the files you wanted moved up from the basement." He set his two boxes down next to LaCroix's desk, the other men following suit.

LaCroix's jaw was slack. "I...But...I told you do to do this sometime in the next _week!_"

The man who seemed to be in charge scratched his head. "Yeah, well, we got to it early."

"I can't deal with this _now!_" LaCroix shouted. "And I most certainly do _not_ want these boxes cluttering my office! Take them away. Bring them back in here next week as I _asked_."

The man shrugged. "Ain't got nowhere to put them. We're workin' on the plumbing down there, remember? Sorry, but I can't take 'em back. We can put 'em in another office if--"

LaCroix put up a hand and interrupted. "Fine. Leave them. Get out." The worker shrugged again and left. LaCroix sighed, his shoulders falling. "Why now?" he muttered softly.

"What is all that anyway?" I asked.

"Various files that I rarely need any longer," he answered, walking over to the boxes. "I wanted them in here for those rare times when I _do_ need them, but I need to organize and file them away, and I can't _do_ that tonight or tomorrow due to the gala." He picked up a few of the files, frowning deeply then throwing them back into the box they came from with a growl. "And these boxes smell like mold. I can't keep them here!"

I had to hide a smile. I didn't smell anything. LaCroix must have just been finding any reason possible to hate the situation as much as he could. "Maybe I could help?" I offered. My assignments had been running dry lately, and I was bored.

LaCroix glanced at me, then seemed to have a light bulb go on over his head. "Yes...yes, in fact, I think you could," he said, beginning to smile. "It's nothing complicated. I just need things in alphabetical order, put into those cabinets there. _Strict_ alphabetical order," he stressed.

Grinning, I shrugged. "No problem. I alphabetize my dvd's at home. This'll be a snap."

He raised an eyebrow, seeming amused. "There are a _lot_ of documents here, Miss Lucas. I can't have them getting mixed up. Anything that falls out of a folder _must_ be placed back where it belongs, so _please_ take care to take them out one at a time."

I shrugged again and nodded. "Want me to start now?"

He pressed his lips together in thought, looking at the boxes again. "No...no, I think this would be a project better tackled tomorrow night when I'm not here," he said. He picked up one of the boxes and moved it closer to a wooden filing cabinet in the corner of the room.

Trying to be helpful, I bent to pick up one of the boxes and nearly fell on my face from the weight of it. "Christ, these damned things are _heavy_!" I said, finally getting one off the ground and wrestling it to the cabinet.

"Don't bother, I'll take care of them," he said, picking up another with ease.

"You'll get your suit all moldy," I said, unable to keep a teasing note out of my voice. He glared at me, to which I responded with a sweet smile. "All right, so what time should I be here tomorrow to start?" I asked.

"9. I'll be leaving an hour or so later; but if you have any questions when you start, I'll be available."

"Okay, not a problem." I began to walk out, then turned around. "So...no dancing with Jeanette anymore because Therese doesn't like it. Anything else you need me for tonight?" LaCroix was frowning at another handful of files. He shook his head wordlessly and waved a hand of dismissal in my general direction. "Good night, then," I said.

"Good night, Miss Lucas."

* * *

When I arrived at LaCroix's office the next night, the lights were on; but he wasn't there. I shrugged and walked over to the boxes of files. After looking through a few of them, I smiled. This was going to be easy. My brain was in organizing mode, deciding in what order I wanted to do this. Alphabetize first, then put into the cabinets? Put the files into the cabinets as I unpacked them? From Z to A to keep the cabinets from becoming top-heavy and falling on me? I looked up as the office's door opened, nodding in greeting to LaCroix as he came in. I was surprised he was still in his normal dark suit rather than the tuxedo he'd gone through pains to get. "I thought you'd be all dressed up," I said, going back to the boxes. I'd decided to alphabetize everything first, then deal with the cabinets.

"I wanted to make sure you were here beforehand," he responded, walking over to me. "Now, you do need to realize that this won't be an easy task."

"Yeah, yeah, it's fine," I said, waving his concerns away with a hand. "It'll take a while, but I've got it handled." I grinned, giving him a wink. "By the time you get back, it'll be done."

He raised an eyebrow. "If you can finish it in one night, I'll be impressed."

"Then be ready to be impressed, Prince. I've been obsessively alphabetizing things since I was a kid. I'm an expert at this."

He chuckled. "You seem rather proud of that," he said, picking up one of the files and looking through it.

"Yeah, why not?"

LaCroix gave me a sideways glance briefly. "Your bragging of expertise at alphabetizing makes it appear that you don't set the proverbial bar very high for yourself."

I stared at him in silence for a moment. "What are you trying to say?" I asked, trying to hide how insulted I felt.

"I'm saying that you have untapped potential that you don't seem too interested in exploring," he said, setting the files back in the box they'd come from. "You're a bright girl, but you're too comfortable with your current place in life. You could move forward much faster than you are."

Just like LaCroix to tuck a compliment into an insult. "You think I'm comfortable?" I asked, resting a hand on my hip. "My entire world got turned upside down several months ago. I have nothing resembling a normal life. I have no friends outside my grandfather who looks young enough to be someone I'd date, mainly because those that would lower themselves to _be_ my friend are _your _enemies! I have people all over the city reporting my every move to my boss, who also happens to be pretty much the king vampire of LA; and you think I'm comfortable?" The volume of my voice was starting to rise. "Tell you what. _You_ try moving cross-country and suddenly having to cut ties with everyone you ever knew to work for a secret society of vampires. Then tell me how _comfortable_ you feel. _I'm _trying to just live from day to day without fucking something up and winding up with my neck on a chopping block because I said the wrong thing to the wrong person. That is _not_ a comfortable feeling, LaCroix." There was so much more I wanted to say, but I stopped because I felt a tell-tale lump forming in my throat. I would gladly scream at him; I would _never_ cry in front of him.

LaCroix's eyes were locked onto mine. His face wasn't quite blank, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Surprisingly, he was the one to break the eye contact between us. "Get to work," he said softly. "When I get back tonight, I'll see if there will be time to talk with you."

"Save it," I grumbled, picking up a handful of files. "I don't feel like being chewed out tonight."

"No, I have something that I think you need to hear," he said. "Something to help you."

"So say it now." He'd ruined my perfectly good mood. Or had _I_? I didn't know, nor did I care. I just wanted him to leave.

He shook his head, and I detected a hint of a smile. "There isn't time now," he said. "I would appreciate it if you'd stay here until I return. I think you'd be surprised to learn how much I _can_ understand."

I nodded. He'd piqued my curiosity, dammit. "I'll be here," I promised.

He put a hand on my shoulder. "Thank you." He smiled as I looked at him in surprise. "I'll be leaving soon. You'll be fine here?" I nodded. "Good evening, then, Miss Lucas."

I watched LaCroix leave with a thousand questions on my tongue. I couldn't help but laugh a bit as I went back to the boxes of files. Of course LaCroix would get his way. That's where _his_ expertise lay.

* * *

After the first half hour of work, I went over to the couch where I'd set a small backpack. Inside was my iPod and a sound dock so I wouldn't have to wear headphones. I found a power outlet near LaCroix's desk and set up my music. I picked my favorite playlist and let it play. For the next several hours, I lost myself in organizing while singing loudly with the music. I used a large section of the office to keep the files separated as they needed to be, including LaCroix's desk. All of the music I'd chosen was upbeat, ranging from pop to electronic to rock; and I found myself dancing and headbanging my way between piles of paperwork.

I was down to only a few piles of folders left, all alphabetized, the empty boxes stacked in the corner. As I was placing the "d" files in their respective drawer, I was singing along with Rammstein as loud as I could. "Deine Größe macht mich klein, du darfst mein Bestrafer sein..." I turned away from the cabinet, and my voice faded away as I saw LaCroix in the doorway. His arms were crossed, and he looked amused. I blushed, clearing my throat. "You're...you're back earlier than I expected," I said, leaning against his desk in what I hoped was a casual way.

"It's nearly 4 AM," LaCroix said, walking into the office. He chuckled. "What in the world are you listening to?"

I reached over to the sound dock, turning down its volume. "Rammstein," I answered simply.

"Interesting lyrics," he said lightly.

_Oh no...don't tell me..._ "You speak German?" I asked, again hoping I seemed casual.

He nodded, looking down at one of the remaining piles of papers on his desk. "Some. It's been a while since I've had the need to do so, but it comes back quickly." He looked up at me, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "How much German do _you _know?" he asked.

I shrugged, blushing deeper under his scrutiny. "Not much. I've just looked up translations to the lyrics online..."

He nodded again, beginning to smile. "So, you're not the type to sing along without knowing what you're saying, then." I shook my head. His smile grew. "Now you have me curious..." He picked up my iPod and began scrolling through the song list.

"I doubt you'd know most of it," I said, trying to laugh. Inside, I was dying of embarrassment. I _never_ sang in front of people; but being caught singing Rammstein by my _boss_ who understood the lyrics? Mortifying.

"Seems that way," he said thoughtfully. Then he looked up at me, again with an eyebrow raised. "Turbonegro, 'Fuck the World'? I never thought you to be one for social commentary, Miss Lucas." I couldn't help but laugh honestly at that. He set down my iPod and leaned against his desk. "I think we have time for that talk," he said.

I stopped the music, making a crushing silence fall in the room. "Did you want to get more comfortable first?" I asked, gesturing to his clothes. He was still dressed in a black tuxedo, and I had to admit that he wore it rather well.

LaCroix shook his head, merely unbuttoning his coat and reaching up to untie his bowtie as he moved to sit at his desk. "I'm fine. Now, you were telling me that you're anything _but _comfortable in your current position, is that right?" As I recalled my earlier outburst, I looked down at the desk and nodded. "You're actually in a position that many Kindred would have preferred to be in before their Embrace," he told me, sitting back in his chair. "You have knowledge of our kind. You know how we operate. You know the politics. I understand that you feel thrown into all of it; but believe me, it could have been much worse."

"Yeah, I know," I replied.

"I don't think you do," he said, leaning forward with his elbows on the desk now. "Imagine, if you can, having been born in the late 1700's, wondering what to do with yourself when your promising looking career is torn apart twenty-some years later by your emperor's defeat in war and subsequent deposition. From there, where does one go?"

I blinked in surprise a few times. "That..._is _a little hard for me to imagine," I said carefully. "I mean, I don't know much about the times or..."

"From experience, I can tell you that one could hardly feel more lost. After Waterloo, my first instinct was to look to our leader for guidance. Considering the fact that he'd just surrendered himself to the British, I obviously couldn't. I had absolutely nothing. I'd only been allowed to despair over my situation for a matter of days before I met the Belgian noble who would be my sire."

"How old were you?" I asked, already enthralled. I was surprised at LaCroix's opening up his life like a book for me.

"23," he answered, and my jaw dropped. No wonder he looked so young! "I thought he was taking pity on me, a broken soldier who'd been working his way up the ranks just to have everything ripped out from under him." I hid a smile. His voice was gaining a dramatic tone to it. "He took me into his house, letting me contribute by taking care of his horses and some other animals he had on his land." LaCroix made a disgusted sound. "It was the only choice I could see for myself, but it made me feel even more sorry for my situation. Born into a wealthy household, reduced to shoveling manure..." He shook his head. "I'm getting off track. I spent a little over a year there. Two winters after I'd arrived, I was working in his office, organizing his books and whatnot, I believe. Much like you're doing currently." I smiled slightly, which he returned. "He came into the room and told me he wanted to pass something on to me. I figured, as he didn't seem to have any family of his own, that he wished to pass an heirloom to me. Instead, he told me what he was." He looked away, his gaze growing distant. "I refused to believe him until he showed me his fangs. I tried to flee from the house, but..." He shrugged, parting his hands and looking back up to me with a slight smile. "You can tell how successful I was."

"So he forced the Embrace onto you?" I asked, a little horrified.

"So to speak. I vaguely remember the details. I remember thinking that I needed my coat if I was to leave, but I didn't have time to retrieve it. I was just thinking that I'd deal with it later when details become unclear. I remember his voice, then turning around to face him. I've decided all that could have happened is I stopped because I was so trained to obey orders. When I faced him, he made the eye contact necessary to dominate me, which explains my lack of fighting as he came closer to me."

"Okay, you lost me," I said with a small laugh. "Dominate?"

He smiled. "A Ventrue discipline," he explained. "I've done it to you at least twice." My eyes widened. "Have you ever wondered why you complied when I told you to sit next to me the night I made you my ghoul in Santa Monica?"

I blinked in surprise. "You...so you used some sort of vampire magic or something?"

That made him laugh. "Not magic so much as a talent, I suppose. Every clan has their unique abilities. Domination is one of a Ventrue's most useful tools."

"Is that how you made me stay here tonight?"

"No. You made that decision on your own. As I said, I've only dominated you twice that I can recall."

I narrowed my eyes, suspiciously. "So what was the second time?"

"When I told you to get in the car to go to Calvin's." It all came together in my head. That was why I hadn't been able to remember making the decision to do so myself in either case. I just_ did_ it and hardly realized I was doing so. "The point to all this, Miss Lucas, is I _can_ understand having your world change overnight; but I think my experience would have been a bit more jarring. _You _can still be yourself. You're still human, in spite of what knowledge you've gained."

I nodded. "And when you were Embraced, you'd changed," I said softly.

"I awoke during a fitful sleep. If my sire hadn't barred the door, I would have gone out before sundown and wouldn't be in front of you today. He gave me quite the sound beating when he found out I'd been trying to leave before he awoke," LaCroix recalled with a chuckle. "I had to be _told_ that I could no longer be in the sunlight or eat and drink as the living do. That the thirst I felt was for _vitae_, not water. And if that wasn't enough to take in all at once, I was to be trained in traditional Ventrue style, months of reading and testing and practicing before I could even be presented as a member of society again. A military man forced to turn into a man of politics."

I stayed silent for a moment before I asked, "Do you ever wish it hadn't happened?"

He sighed. "The thought has come to mind," he answered. "But I look around and remember that I wouldn't have been able to accomplish all this without the length of life I've had as a result of my Embrace. I would have been following orders all my life, not issuing them." He stood, leveling his gaze on me. "What I want you to take away from this, Natalie, is that you _will_ get through this transition. Yours is not so hard as one who has been Embraced and thrown into not only someone else's foreign society, but as a whole new creature. A new version of yourself that you must struggle every day of your existence to control. Don't begrudge your situation. Take it and make out of it your own success." He reached up and curled a finger around my chin. "I know you can if you keep your head out of the clouds and use your intelligence to gain the respect of those around you."

Swallowing hard, I said, "I don't know the first thing about being successful. I've just always gotten by. I've never been anything spectacular."

He smiled, moving his hand away from my chin to stroke down my cheek lightly. "You will be, once I'm through with you."

I smiled back as his touch and voice made a chill go down my spine. "Does that make you my mentor?" I asked.

"I'd like to think so," he said, beginning to grin.

"But why me? Mercurio's worked for you for over thirty years..."

LaCroix sat back, his eyes seeming to size me up. "Mercurio is doing what he wants. He's comfortable and doesn't want more than he has. I think you still have some lofty dreams, whether or not you realize them yourself."

I shrugged. "I just want to be happy."

"Wouldn't that be made easier if you could look back and view all you've accomplished for yourself?"

I had to think about that for a moment. The way things were going, I'd look back on all I did for LaCroix. The way he was making me think now, yeah, I _would_ like to look at something I did for myself eventually. I nodded, smiling at him again. "Definitely."

"Excellent." He stood, reaching into his coat and pulling out a pocket watch. After checking the time, he tucked it away again. "I should be retiring. The sun rises soon. As one last note, I don't want you to think any part of this will be easy. Considering how we've already been known to butt heads, I think your shaping for success will be a challenge for the both of us."

"I do have one question, though," I said, wanting to get something off my chest.

"Yes?"

I hestitated even though I was committed to completing the thought. "Is this...shaping...preparation to Embrace me?" I asked meekly.

LaCroix's face clouded. "It wasn't a consideration, no. Why do you ask?"

I shrugged, looking at the floor. "Calvin said something like 'He hasn't given you his teeth yet,' when he was talking about you. When we went to go get him, you know? And Mercurio was telling me that Malkavians have their abilities to see things that--"

"Insight, we call it, yes. And I don't put much stock in it," LaCroix said, his eyes narrowed. "They hit the mark sometimes, usually unexplainably. However, it's not something to be counted on at all times. If it was Calvin that said such a thing, he was probably just trying to scare you away from me."

Nodding, I replied. "Yes, sir. I just wanted to get it out of the way. I hadn't been able to get it off my mind."

"You were afraid I was going to Embrace you?" he asked, sounding surprised. I shrugged. "You weren't _hoping_ for such a thing, were you?"

"No!" I shook my head hard to reinforce my answer. "No, I just... Like I said, I couldn't get it out of my head. I even dreamed about him saying it the other night."

"Damned Malkavians," LaCroix grumbled. "They have a way of getting into your head. Try not to let it bother you any further."

"Yes, sir."

"In the meantime, will you be finishing this before leaving?" He gestured to the papers still waiting to be filed.

"Yeah, it won't take much longer."

"Very well. Then I'll take my leave. Good day, Miss Lucas."

"Sir?"

He'd just reached the door and turned back to me. "Yes, Miss Lucas?"

I grinned devilishly. "How did Miss Xavier behave tonight?"

LaCroix groaned and rolled his eyes. "Good _day_, Miss Lucas." With that, he left; and I grinned the rest of the time I was filing the papers away.

* * *

**A/N: _"Deine Größe macht mich klein, du darfst mein Bestrafer sein..." = _"Your size makes me small, you may be my punisher..." from "Bestrafe mich" by Rammstein (the title translates to "Punish me").**

**Thanks to all who have been reading! The number of readers this story has had in conjunction with the reviews I've gotten have been a great inspiration to work on this story. I'm happy to report that I actually got several chapters done yesterday (in contrast to the usual one a day, if I'm lucky), so I'll probably be updating every day or two. Please feel free to review and let me know how I'm doing, negative or positive. I'm using this story as an exercise to stretch my writing legs a bit beyond my usual style (I have a history of blurring the lines between drama and angst too often; so I'm trying to stretch into a comfortable, natural humor.), so any feedback is good feedback in my mind. Thanks again, all!  
**


	6. Chapter 6

Several weeks passed by smoothly. I managed to mostly stay out of trouble, only ruffling LaCroix's feathers a few times with my missteps. It was a little easier to take his scoldings in stride, I found. He wanted to mold me into someone better, and I was willing to let him now that I knew that he didn't have something against me. One night, he gave me a paper with a list of typed questions and hand-written answers. "Here," he said. "I need you to call the number at the bottom of the page in the morning and give them these answers to their questions."

I scanned the page. "What is it for?"

"Some news outlet wanting to bring to light more information about the LaCroix Foundation," he answered, rubbing a hand down his face wearily. "As it would look suspicious for me to refuse, I answered them; but I can't _return_ the answers over the phone as they'd asked as I can't very well contact them during the day. So, I want _you_ to contact them and tell them I've fallen ill or...something."

"So I'm playing your secretary?" I asked.

"Why not?" he sighed. "Whatever it takes to get them off my back. Just don't give any other information than what's on the paper."

"All right, will do." I read through the questions and answers and realized I still didn't have an idea as to what any of them said. All business talk that went straight over my head. Instead, I admired the classic, scrolling hand that the prince had. Much better than most males' handwriting I'd seen. Of course, LaCroix had a couple centuries to work on his.

Since that was the only assignment LaCroix had for me that night, I headed home and took a nap so I could be awake to call the number as he'd ordered. The woman who answered the phone sounded rather disappointed when I told her I was assigned to give LaCroix's answers as he was under the weather and hadn't come to the office that morning. She, in turn, gave me a few more questions for him. I wrote them down and told her I'd be sure they reached him. After I hung up, I put aside the paper I'd written on and went back to bed.

I headed to Venture Tower around 8 PM. It was a little early as the sun had just set, but I figured it would be okay. After all, I could just ask if LaCroix was in and drop the paper off as a message if he hadn't made his presence known yet. When I arrived, I heard a female voice arguing with security. "He _knows_ me!" she was saying. "Surely he's mentioned me! Look again, it's Samantha Xavier. That's X-A-V-"

I rolled my eyes. So _this_ was the girl who'd gotten so attached to him around the time of her introduction? "I'm sorry, miss, but I can't let you up if Mr. LaCroix isn't here. I have orders from Mr. LaCroix himself."

"No exceptions," I said as I edged myself up to the desk, next to Samantha. She glared at me, dark eyes flashing angrily as I gave her a smile. I turned to the guard and handed him the envelope I'd put the questions into. "Can you give this to Mr. LaCroix when he comes in, please?"

"Of course, miss." He took the envelope and tucked it into the box where LaCroix's messages were kept until he came down to pick them up.

I'd begun to walk out when I heard Samantha behind me again. "You, do you work for Sebastian?" she called out.

I turned and shrugged. "Yeah, he signs my paychecks," I said with a chuckle.

She hurried over to me and grabbed my arm. "You _must _know how I can get up to his office. I want to surprise him."

I raised an eyebrow and tried to pull away. "Uh, no, I don't. He doesn't allow anyone up until he's here. And surprise him with what?"

"That I'm _here_, of course!"

I nodded slowly. "And he'd care...why?"

She snatched her hand away as if she realized that touching me was unclean or something. "Sebastian and I are close! He'll _love_ to see me!"

I chuckled, remembering how he'd roll his eyes and groan whenever her name came up. "He's pretty busy, hon," I said, smiling. "Maybe calling ahead would be a good idea?"

"But I--" She stopped talking, and we both heard LaCroix's voice behind us. "Sebastian!" she squealed, nearly skipping back to the security desk.

He turned, and I barely detected a flash of horror in his eyes when he saw her. "S-Samantha! What are you doing here? I thought you were with your father in Florida."

I stood behind Samantha so I wouldn't have to hide my smirk and so LaCroix could see it. "I was, but I just _had_ to come see you, darling. Isn't it a wonderful surprise? Oh, and I wanted to give you this." She pulled a small envelope out of her dress, and I wondered if she'd hidden it in her cleavage.

"What is it?" he asked, his eyes flicking to me quickly.

"An invitation to my birthday celebration!" she squealed.

I covered my snicker with a cough. LaCroix looked to me. "Miss Lucas, you're here too," he stated unnecessarily.

"I was just leaving," I said, pointing to the messages in his hand. "Just wanted to drop something off."

"Oh, well, since you're here, I _would _like to see you in my office," he said, glancing at Samantha. "I have some things that I'd like to go over with you."

I shrugged easily. "Sure, of course. That is, unless you'd rather reschedule since you seem to have a surprise guest."

"Oh, Sebastian, you're _always _working!" Samantha said, taking his hand. "I came all this way to see you..."

He looked at her with a small smile. "I'm sorry, but this really is rather important. I—I'll call you when I have a free moment. Would that be all right?"

"But--"

"My apologies, Samantha, but you've just caught me at a really bad time, I'm afraid. I have several projects that I just _can't_ postpone right now. I _really _wish you'd given a call or email before coming all this way, but I'm afraid it may be a wasted trip." He glanced at the envelope she'd presented him. "Well, maybe not _all_ wasted..."

She sighed. "You need a break, Sebastian. Come visit me and Jos-_-father_ in Florida. We'd be happy to have you."

LaCroix nodded and smiled graciously. "I'll try. Thank you for coming by."

"Will you come to my birthday, though?" she asked, still holding tight to his hand.

"I—I'll have to see. I'll let you know."

She pouted, then gave me a glare. "Well. I'll let you two get to work, then." She spun and flounced out the door, leaving me sweating with the effort of restraining my laughter.

LaCroix sighed, walking towards the elevator. I followed close behind, getting into the elevator with him. I knew he didn't have anything to speak to me about. However, we had to keep up appearances for the security guard who'd seemed greatly entertained by the spectacle that had just unfolded in front of him. "I wondered if I'd ever meet your girlfriend," I said.

"_Please_, Miss Lucas, not now. Not this early." He squeezed his eyes shut and massaged his temples.

"She just doesn't get a clue, does she?" I asked, chuckling openly now. He shook his head. Tilting my head to see the small envelope Samantha had presented him with, I mused out loud, "I didn't know vampires celebrated birthdays."

"We don't," he sighed. "A 'deathnight' anniversary here or there, maybe; but never a mortal _birthday_."

"Ah, the newbie doesn't know any better?"

He shook his head again and leaned against the back wall of the elevator, letting his head fall back. "So what were you here for again?" he asked, looking weary as he glanced at me.

"Oh, that woman that you wanted me to call this morning? She had a few more questions for you. I told her I'd write them down and get them to you. She said there was no rush on them since you're 'sick,' but she's hoping to use them in her article due next week."

He snorted. "'No rush,' then..." With a sigh, he held up Samantha's envelope and opened it. The card was a glittery invitation, something that I would have expected to be given to a 16 year-old girl's classmates.

"You know...you _could_ go..." I said.

"Perish the thought."

"Let me finish!" He glared at me, but I continued. "You _could_ go, but find out if you can bring a guest. If there's any way to get a girl to realize you're not interested, show up to her event with a date."

He raised an eyebrow. "And I suppose _you_ would be my date?"

I laughed softly. "Do you know any other female who would be willing to put up with shenanigans like this? Besides, she's exactly the type that I like to knock down a few pegs."

LaCroix shook his head as he opened the invitation. "And perpetuate the rumors even more, Miss Lucas?"

"Are they still flying around?"

"Not as prolifically, but I catch wind of them occasionally."

I thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Isn't that better than the rumors that she's probably spreading to her friends about the two of you?"

LaCroix visibly shuddered before looking at me. "_To____uché__,_" he conceded.

"Everyone in Florida probably thinks you two are absolutely smitten by now," I pushed.

He groaned as the elevator doors opened. "I've not felt physically ill in years until now. Thank you."

"Well, you want to be rid of her, don't you?"

"There are other ways, Miss Lucas." We walked into his office, me following him. "Am I supposed to feign ignorance regarding her apparent..."

"Attraction?"

"_Attachment _to me? Thereby hurting her feelings at her birthday by bringing someone with whom I'm pretending to be involved?"

I crossed my arms and chuckled. "Sebastian LaCroix, you almost sound like you have a heart when you talk like that."

He glared at me as he reached his desk. "She _was _sired by a good friend of mine," he reminded me.

"Yeah, I know; but if you don't do something, she's going to be hanging around here all the time. Calling you, distracting you..." I raised an eyebrow. "Or you could just straight up tell her to get lost."

He rolled his eyes and sat down. "Tact is a lesson on which we'll be focusing soon, I see," he said.

"Seriously, are you going to live in fear all the time that she'll show up? I mean, she's going to be devastated anyway if you _don't_ show up for her party, no matter how good the excuse you come up with." I shrugged. "If she thinks you're off limits, she won't be a bother to you anymore."

He shook his head. "I don't like this plan."

"Think of a better one."

"I don't have _time _to be thinking of ways to avoid females with visions of romance and roses in their head!"

"Aw, come on, are you worried you wouldn't be able to act convincingly that you'd actually fall for someone?" I asked, leaning one hip against his desk.

His jaw tightened, then relaxed. "Don't test me, Miss Lucas."

"Have you _ever _been in love, Sebastian?" I pressed, endlessly amused by this evening so far, especially with his distress. When I realized this, I also came to the realization that I was becoming more like him every day.

"Yes," he said, standing up as his eyes burned into mine. "And it was a rather horrific experience."

"Okay, I can't let that one go without the story behind it," I said with a laugh. "Come on, spill it."

"There's nothing to tell. I had my heart set on a girl when I was in the military. Waterloo happened, and I had to abandon it all because of my Embrace. She moved on without ever knowing of my affections, got married, lived her life, and died young. Is that the story you're looking for?"

I hesitated. "Well, I knew it wouldn't have a _happy _ending... So you never fell in love again after that?"

LaCroix glared at me, but I could see he was trying to decide just how much to say before telling me to shut up and get out. "Mortal love is not something that a Kindred needs to survive," he answered finally. "It's a waste of time, money, and energy, not to mention the fact that the elder Ventrue look down upon open displays of emotion in the clan. Affection must not become lust, a very dangerous line when speaking of 'love.'"

I followed him as he walked over to his filing cabinets. "You can't make me believe that _all _Kindred or _all_ Ventrue give up on love when they're Embraced," I argued.

"No, some don't," he admitted. "But it's never a good idea. For one, falling in love with a human will never end well. The Masquerade will be broken. The mortal in question will wind up Embraced and begrudge their lover for their curse, ending the affair and being stuck as Kindred. From there, they'll either get themselves killed or run with the wrong pack, so to speak. It's a bad situation for everyone. Even if things went along swimmingly, there would never be any children from the coupling, and the mortal would die and leave the Kindred behind with a broken heart. I've seen it before."

"Okay, sure, but what about two Kindred together? Or a Kindred and a ghoul since we don't age either?"

LaCroix glanced at me over his shoulder. "Does it matter, Miss Lucas? You know my stance on it by now. Other Kindred can do as they please with their existence. I prefer to stay away from the whole mess." He found the file he wanted and closed the drawer with a slam, turning and walking back to his desk while shooting me a look. "Besides, isn't 'romance' merely chemical? Adrenaline that makes one's heart beat faster and one's skin flush? How do you suppose a Kindred would benefit from any of that?"

I suddenly realized what his problem was. "You _miss _it!" I accused. "You miss the rush of being in love!"

"That's preposterous!" he said, slapping the file down onto his desk.

I grinned at him. "Well, you sure sound like it, but that's beside the point. Do you want me to help you get rid of this girl or not? If she sees you with someone, maybe that will darken her heart to the point of not needing the romance that you're so staunchly against, making her better in the process anyway!"

His eyes narrowed slightly. After a pause, he threw up his hands and sat down. "Fine. We'll go with your plan, though I do so unwillingly, make no mistake about that."

"You _do _know that my plan takes more effort than just showing up together, right?"

"Yes. You expect us to go in and fawn over each other as lovers."

"Not exactly. I mean, last thing I want is to be gather the attention of everyone else there with endless PDAs and whatnot."

He raised an eyebrow. "'PDA'?"

"Public Display of Affection," I clarified. "No, all I'm thinking is we go in holding hands--" He rolled his eyes. "--you introduce me by name only, nothing like 'this is my girlfriend' or anything like that, I'll laugh at your jokes and gaze at you adoringly...just enough to get the idea in her head that you're taken." I grinned. "I'm not asking you to make out with me or anything. This really won't be so hard."

"Fine. We'll go ahead with it. But if there is any hint that it's about to cause a scene, we leave."

I nodded. "Good! That will drive the message home." LaCroix sighed again, rubbing his brow. "So when is the princess's ball, anyway?" I asked.

He picked up the invitation and glanced at it. "Two weeks from Saturday." He leaned back in his chair and looked at me as he handed me the invitation to look over. "You do realize, of course, that this is a very formal event."

"I have some money saved up. I'll find something suitable to buy." I scanned the words inside the card. "Ha, excellent! 'Mr. LaCroix, you _and a guest_ are invited...' It's as if it's all set for us!" I figured the invitations were all the same, everyone allowed to bring a guest if they chose.

"What do you intend to use as a price limit for your dress?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I dunno, five...six hundred?"

LaCroix rolled his eyes and opened a drawer. He pulled out a checkbook and began to write. "Here," he said, handing me a check. "That should cover dress, shoes, accessories, and anything else you women need for an event such as this."

My eyes nearly dropped out of their sockets. "_Eight thousand?_" I gasped. "That's outrageous! There is no way I would spend that much for this."

"It goes faster than you think, trust me," LaCroix said, tucking away the checkbook again. "Cash it, then use what you need. If you need more, let me know."

"So...you're just _giving _me this money?" I asked, incredulous.

"I consider it extraneous expenses for your assignment as my..._date _to her party." He winced a little when he said the word "date," as if it tasted bad.

I nodded. "I'll use it well, then."

"See that you do. Now I really must get to other matters..."

"Of course. Good evening, Prince." I gave a little bow and left his office, still in amazement that I had an eight thousand dollar check in my pocket.


	7. Chapter 7

I spent the next two weeks agonizing over what to buy. I had to get over the prices on some items, remembering that I had been given plenty of money to cover everything. By the time the Saturday of the party arrived, I'd been able to decide on a strapless dark blue gown with a beaded pattern that swirled down the length, drawing the eye to accentuated curves. Heeled sandals matched it, as well as a navy blue satin clutch purse. I added sapphire earrings and a jeweled satin choker. Finally, the last of the money went towards spending the morning at a salon. Manicured, pedicured, my light brown curls piled up and cascading down around my face, dressed in richer clothes than I ever dreamed of wearing as a little girl, I hardly recognized myself in the mirror. My phone rang at 10 PM as I was spraying on some perfume I'd also bought on LaCroix's dollar. "Are you ready?" LaCroix's voice asked after I answered.

"I'll be right down." I felt my stomach's resident butterflies take flight as I left my apartment. I hoped that I looked all right. Not too flashy. As the elevator creeped down, I began to doubt my choices. What if I _did _look too flashy? The last thing I wanted was to make people think that LaCroix's girl was a gaudy floozy! Taking a deep breath, I stepped outside. LaCroix was waiting outside the limo for me, again dressed in a tux. _Men have it so easy..._ I thought.

LaCroix caught sight of me as I exited the building, and I saw his jaw immediately drop. As I walked up to him, I shrugged. "It isn't too much, is it?" I asked meekly.

He slowly shook his head as his eyes traveled from my feet up to my eyes. "I would hardly believe it if you weren't standing in front of me," he said, his eyes wide with surprise.

"So...it's okay? I won't stand out too much?"

"You're—it's perfect." He opened the door for me, and I slid into the limo feeling a little bit better. LaCroix got in behind me, taking his seat next to me.

"I know this was my idea and everything, but I have to say that I'm really nervous," I confessed.

"I can tell," LaCroix responded. I looked at him, confused. "I can hear your heartbeat."

My eyebrows went up. "You...vampi—_Kindred _can do that?"

He nodded. "It's convenient. The stronger the heartbeat, the healthier a human tends to be. It helps when making decisions on the fly if one's situation is especially desperate."

I sighed. "I'm probably going to be the only ghoul there, huh..."

"Maybe," LaCroix said, shrugging. "Which will mean a more powerful blow to Miss Xavier."

I grinned. "I'm beginning to think you've grown fond of this idea!"

"Not exactly. Resigned to it, yes."

LaCroix kept me chatting through the ride, much to my surprise. I'd never thought him to be one for conversation, but he was chattering my ear off about the most mundane of topics like the weather, how he hates going to Santa Monica, how he really _must_ get back to New York someday to check on things... I realized quickly that my nerves were subsiding while listening to him. He had mastered an art: having a conversation that consisted of nothing at all in order to accomplish a greater directive. The directive, this time around, was not letting me concentrate on our "mission" too much before we arrived.

The posh club at which Samantha was having her party wasn't far from town. It took no longer than a half hour to get there. "Here we go," LaCroix said quietly as he opened the door. He got out first, then offered me his hand to help me out. He made sure my hand was settled in the crook of his elbow before we went inside. Taking the invitation out of his coat, LaCroix showed it briefly to the security personnel just inside the door. The guard nodded his okay, and we continued to the main ballroom.

I immediately felt out of place. It was as if I'd stepped out of my own little world and into a storybook party. "Keep your bearings, Miss Lucas," LaCroix murmured into my ear, making my heart jump a bit.

I turned to him and smiled sweetly. "Natalie," I corrected him softly.

"Of course," he said, standing straight and returning the smile. We wove our way through the room, LaCroix nodding greetings to those who recognized him. Coming from some unknown source was soft violin and piano music, and a few people were already taking their turns on the dance floor. I briefly wondered if LaCroix knew how to dance.

"Sebastian! You made it!" I heard Samantha cry.

"Wouldn't have missed it, my dear," LaCroix said with a smile as she approached. "I believe you've met Natalie Lucas?" he said, covering my hand on his arm with his other hand and giving me a brighter smile than he'd given Samantha.

I smiled back at him, then directed it towards our hostess. "I'm afraid our meeting was all too brief," I said, offering my hand to her.

She seemed confused but returned the pleasantries, loosely gripping my hand for a moment before turning her attention back to LaCroix. "So what do you think?" she asked, gesturing to the room in a grand manner. "Isn't it beautiful? Ah, it's the sort of place I'd hoped to be married in someday..."

I held back a laugh as LaCroix nodded. "It _is _rather elegant," he said, taking an obligatory look around.

"Yes, definitely," I agreed. "Very much like a fairy tale."

Samantha laughed. "Ah, but aren't we too old for fairy tales?" she said. "I'm afraid it _is _a bit overdone. But when one has no one to deal with but mortals, what is one to do?"

I cleared my throat and felt LaCroix's hand on mine again. "Not all mortals are problematic, Samantha," he said, looking down at me with a soft smile. "After all, it hasn't been too many months since you were one yourself."

Her eyes widened slightly before she laughed again. "This is true, of course! However, I have learned so much since then. It feels like forever since I had mortal worries."

LaCroix laughed. "I think Joseph has gone lax on you," he said. "The learning process definitely doesn't end with presentation."

Samantha pouted. "I think I've got everything I need to know."

"Don't be so sure," LaCroix said. He straightened his arm, but soon wrapped it around my waist. I did the same to him, smiling up at him. "Just when you think you know everything necessary, you'll be caught off guard. Be careful with that," he warned her before looking at me with a smile. "You really must see the gardens, dear. They're positively breathtaking this time of year." He looked back to Samantha. "Excuse us, won't you, darling?"

"Oh! Yes, definitely, those gardens are lovely!" she said, though I could see the anger in her eyes when she looked at me.

LaCroix walked me through a side door, keeping me tight against him. "Can't stand much of her, eh?" I muttered. He shook his head silently. We walked slowly through the clubhouse's gardens, my hand tucked into LaCroix's arm again. He let me stop and sniff the flowers whenever I wanted, and I slowly came to realize how much like a princess I felt myself. "So far, this has been a relatively nice night," I remarked quietly, sitting on a stone bench and pulling LaCroix down next to me.

He sighed. "A waste of time, really," he muttered, and I nudged him with my elbow.

"Can't you just enjoy being out of the office for a few hours?" I asked. "It's a beautiful night. The flowers are blooming and letting their scent fill the air, it's quiet out here, the music is gorgeous..."

I was interrupted by LaCroix's soft laugh. "You're beginning to sound as if you're enjoying this," he said.

I shrugged, feeling my face becoming flushed. "I am. Kinda feel like a princess," I added with a little laugh.

LaCroix laughed again. He gently brushed a curl away from my face, and I agonized over the fact that I knew he could hear my heart beat a little faster. "You are positively stunning tonight," he said softly.

"Thank you," I whispered, again willing my heart rate to slow.

"Sebastian! Here you are!" a male voice called out. LaCroix and I stood and saw a man approaching us with a smile on his face. "Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

LaCroix glanced at me, then answered, "No, not at all, Joseph. Natalie needed a little fresh air. Oh, forgive me, Joseph Gresham, this is Miss Natalie Lucas, my guest tonight." I shook hands cordially with Joseph, giving him a nod and smile. "Natalie, Joseph is an old friend of mine and Miss Xavier's sire." I smiled a little bigger and nodded again. The two men chatted for a moment while I reveled in triumph. _Samantha's sire thinks he interrupted a romantic moment between me and LaCroix...he'll **definitely** mention something to her._ Another strain of thought asked, _**Did **he interrupt a romantic moment?_ I inwardly shook myself, trying to get rid of the thought; but I could only manage to recall the brush of his hand on my face and the sound of his voice as he called me "stunning." Me! I wondered what would have happened if Joseph hadn't come along when he did, then quickly squashed that new line of thought.

I mentally joined the conversation when I heard the two men laughing together. "Well, I should get back inside before Samantha thinks I've abandoned her," Joseph was saying. He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye. "Keep his feet on the ground now, dear."

I laughed. "I don't think Sebastian needs any help with that," I said, looking up at LaCroix and hugging his arm.

Joseph laughed softly. "She doesn't yet know you, my boy."

LaCroix chuckled. "Please, Joseph. You act as if I haven't been able to accomplish everything I've put my hand to."

Joseph raised an eyebrow. "You've got me there. Sebastian LaCroix, conqueror of the impossible." He waved and left.

"What was he talking about?" I asked LaCroix as we began to wander back towards the clubhouse.

He shook his head. "Joseph's was one of the loudest voices against my putting my lot in the running for Prince of Los Angeles," he explained. "He claimed I didn't have the experience necessary to accomplish the task." He grinned at me. "I took great pleasure in proving him wrong."

We walked together silently as I wondered if I should ask the question that was on my mind. Of course, my curiosity won, as it almost always does. "You know, I look at you; and I look at Joseph, and I can tell by how you act that you're Ventrue. I look at Samantha; and I can tell she's Ventrue from her looks, but then she opens her mouth and..." I shook my head as my voice trailed off.

LaCroix groaned softly. "Ghastly, isn't it?" He sighed. "Considering the fact that I had met her briefly beforehand, I was amazed at her presentation that she got through everything so smoothly, all the tests, all the questions, everything we could throw at her. _And _she managed to impress the Prince of Pensacola enough to grant her acceptance, so..." He shrugged and sighed again. "She's got enough of a brain to know when it's important to throw on a mask of control and intelligence. All the rest of the time, however, I have to wonder what quality Joseph saw in her to become so enamored."

"You think he only sired her because he loves her?" I asked.

"I _know_ that's why he did it. There's no doubt in my mind. The problematic thing of it is that he also taught her just enough to cover up her true nature and get our approval. Once she was accepted, unless she makes a severe misstep, we must treat her as one of our own, no matter our own individual opinions of her." LaCroix shook his head. "She won't last long, I'm afraid."

"So does Joseph know how she feels about _you_?"

He shrugged. "I think not, considering he didn't think of me as a rival; and I believe your being here tonight will be just enough for me to keep my friendship with him."

I smiled at that and realized as we walked that I was still hugging his arm, his hands in his pants pockets. "I think this is the most relaxed I've ever seen you," I remarked, sliding one of my hands down his arm into his pocket, lacing my fingers with his.

He laughed, taking our hands out of his pocket, but continuing to hold my hand. "Isn't that part of the role I'm supposed to be playing?" he asked.

I shrugged. "True, but you don't seem to be acting." He only smiled, leading me back inside the clubhouse.

Samantha seemed to sniff us out like a bloodhound, coming over to us nearly as soon as we stepped foot into the building. "I was worried you'd left!" she said.

"Oh, no, we just got caught up in the gardens," LaCroix said. "Natalie absolutely loves flowers, and I'm afraid there just aren't that many in one place in town." He looked over at me with a smile. "We'll have to figure out a place to make you a garden sometime."

"I would love that," I gushed, gazing into his eyes. There was the fluttery heartbeat again...

Samantha laughed. "As if you'd know anything about gardening, Sebastian!" She gently touched his shoulder as she spoke.

He looked at her hand, then back to me. "I think I could learn."

Clearing her throat, Samantha crossed her arms. "So how long have you two been a couple?" She was looking straight at me with death in her eyes, her foot tapping.

I giggled as if I hadn't noticed her glare. "Not nearly long enough," I answered, glancing back up at LaCroix. He chuckled, but stayed quiet.

"Isn't that sweet?" Samantha said, her eyes not echoing the sentiment. "Really, Sebastian, if you've got any plans to break this poor girl's heart, I beg you to abandon them this instant!"

His hand tightened on mine for a moment. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said.

"After all, I've heard about your track record," Samantha added with a laugh.

LaCroix's smile faded a bit. "I haven't a clue as to what you mean, Samantha."

"Darling, surely you _must _have told her about Layla..."

"Samantha..." There was an unspoken warning in LaCroix's voice this time.

I let go of LaCroix's hand, instead sliding my arm around his waist. I leveled my gaze at Samantha and put on a poisonous smile. "I haven't heard of any Layla," I admitted, "but I frankly don't care about Sebastian's past, whether we're talking about conquests or admirers. All that matters to me is here and now. Why live in the past?" I reached up with my free hand and stroked his jaw.

Samantha laughed bitterly. "I suppose the easiest way to move past any history may be to turn a blind eye to it," she said. "If you'll excuse me, I must attend to my guests." Her frame was rigid as she turned and disappeared into the crowd.

LaCroix led me out of the middle of the crowd to a side wall and wrapped his arms around me. "Wonderfully executed," he murmured into my ear.

I chuckled. "Likewise, darling," I said. "But who's Layla?"

He cleared his throat lightly. "Ask me again sometime." I pulled back and pouted. He knew I'd forget, and I knew he was betting on it. I'd have to try my hardest to keep her name in my mind and do as he just said: ask him again later. "Don't do that," he said with a slightly warning tone in his voice.

"Don't do what?"

"Don't start jeopardizing everything because I won't answer a question you have no right asking."

I was shocked by his words for a moment as they forced me to remember that this _was_ LaCroix after all, no matter how he had to treat me tonight. The shock faded, however, when he gently placed the palm of his hand against my cheek, caressing my cheekbone with his thumb. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation of it for a moment, then smiled at him. "You know, you're making this whole 'act like your girlfriend' thing quite easy," I said just above a whisper.

"Likewise, darling," he replied with a light tone. He ducked his head, brushing his lips against mine. My act broke, leaving me blinking at him in surprise. "Samantha was directing her glare over here," he whispered.

I giggled. "Ah, so you were sealing the deal?" I asked.

"Yes. Sorry."

I shook my head and ran a finger down his jaw, letting it gently trail over his lips. "Don't be. Part of the act, right?" He nodded, kissing my fingertip quickly. A mischievous smile I'd never seen before crossed his expression as he took my hand and led me back outside. "Where are we going?" I asked, confused.

He wordlessly led me back out to the garden, but he turned me in such a way that I could see that Samantha was following us. He was hurrying me through this time. My heel caught on a stone, causing me to stumble; but LaCroix was able to catch me. I blushed as I looked up at him. "Sorry. I'm clumsy," I said.

Setting me back on my feet, LaCroix wrapped his arms around me again. I responded by draping my arms around his neck. He leaned in, setting his lips to mine once more, this time deepening the kiss. I knew he was making a show for Samantha, but I was thoroughly enjoying the attention and contact. One of his hands was set at the small of my back, the other at the back of my neck. A little squeak escaped my throat as his tongue brushed mine, and I was glad that he was holding me up. My knees were no longer capable of the job.

I lost track of how long we kissed. I was totally lost in it, caught up in the scent of LaCroix's cologne and the feel and taste of his mouth. My hands were longing to wander, but I didn't want to overstep any unspoken bounds. This _was _all for show, after all. When the kiss was finally broken, it took me a couple moments to catch my breath. "You realize you just confirmed every rumor about _us_," I whispered.

"It will be much easier to live with that rumor than to let Samantha think that I have any interest in her whatsoever," he responded.

"You think so?" I asked, still clinging to him.

"It isn't hard to tolerate your being around, Miss, er, Natalie. She, however, would have me staking myself and waiting for sunrise in a day."

I laughed. After a moment of thought, albeit clouded thought, I figured, _Ah, what the hell..._ and pulled him in for another kiss. He didn't resist, returning the kiss somewhat eagerly, I thought. This time, when we pulled back, I asked, "Is she still watching?"

"She's been gone for quite some time," LaCroix responded with a small smirk.

"What? But...you just let me..."

He chuckled this time. "Yes, I did. You're enjoying yourself."

"That matters to you?"

"Well, I'm sure it helps your acting. Plus, I'm somewhat obligated to make this worth your while, am I not?"

I shook my head. "I didn't think you were obligated to do anything for me, that it would always be the other way around." He just smirked at that. I bit my lip in thought for a moment before asking, "How did you know I was enjoying kissing you?"

He lowered his head, brushing his lips against my neck. "Your pulse gives you away," he whispered, making me shiver against him. He planted a few kisses against my shoulder, nipping with his front teeth but avoiding using his fangs.

"Fucking tease," I breathed. He laughed as he pulled back, the sound low and deep.

"Do you _want _me to bite you?" he asked, that mischievous glint in his eyes again.

"Would you hate me forever, _darling_, if I did?" I asked, trying to sound like I was teasing.

He kissed my lips again, light and fast. "I could never." He let me go and stepped back, tucking my hand into his arm and leading me back through the gardens. I didn't know if he meant he could never hate me or he could never bite me.

* * *

We stayed for only about an hour longer, sharing a couple dances; I found out that LaCroix was a very graceful dancer, making up for my clumsiness easily. As a courtesy, I agreed to dancing with a couple of the other men there; but I was somewhat disgusted to find that they only wanted to dance to try to weasel secrets about LaCroix out of me. The room seemed full of backstabbers, the only one I could place any trust in being Joseph; and that was only because LaCroix seemed to trust him.

Before we left, we hunted out Samantha one last time. She regarded us coldly this time, barely able to smile when Sebastian wished her a happy birthday. He kissed her cheek, and I could have sworn that she would have cried if she could. When we were finally back in the limo, I sighed contentedly. "I don't think you'll have to worry about her anymore," I said with a grin.

"Thank you," he said, taking my hand and kissing it, making my heart do that damned fluttery thing again. "It couldn't have gone any more smoothly."

"Do you think there will be any repercussions from your being attached to a mortal?" I asked.

"There will always be repercussions for _something_," LaCroix said. "Especially in my position. There will never be a time when everyone agrees with what you're doing. Someone will find fault in some way. I'll deal with it."

I smiled and nodded. "I just don't want to cause you any more trouble than I already do."

He chuckled and cupped my face in his hands. "My dear, considering we have a whole new charade to keep up, you already have." He kissed me gently, barely moving back enough to speak again. "But I'm much more of a willing participant in _this _trouble than our past trials."

"Do you think it will come up often?" I asked softly.

"No. If anything, it will mostly be brought up as an excuse for some move I make that someone considers a mistake on my part. 'He's distracted by his love for his ghoul,' or some such nonsense." He kissed me a few more times. "Nothing you need to worry about," he finished.

"Prince..."

"Hmm?"

"Why do you keep kissing me?"

"I told you earlier: because you're seeming to enjoy it."

I smiled, touching his face gently. "So you're not doing it because some little part of you is enjoying it as well?" I asked. "No, I suppose you couldn't. After all, it's all chemical, right? Making one's skin flush and one's heart beat fast?"

"Turning my words against me, Miss Lucas?" he asked.

"Just answer the question."

He was silent for a moment. "I suppose I'm enjoying myself, yes."

"Why?" This time, he stayed silent, seeming surprised by the question. He frowned and looked away when he couldn't answer. "Because it's more than chemical?" I answered for him, turning his face back towards mine with my fingertips. "Because perhaps you've missed a woman's attention all these years? The feel of a simple kiss..." I chastely kissed his lips. "There's nothing like it, is there?"

"Are you trying to seduce me, Miss Lucas?" he asked softly.

"I wouldn't dream of such a thing," I answered with a smile. "I'm merely responding to everything you've done tonight. You knew it was having an effect on me, after all; and yet you kept it up." I sat back a little, looking at him. "Besides, I don't have any illusions that you'd fall in love with me. I'm just enjoying the attention of a handsome prince."

LaCroix grinned and pulled me in for another kiss. By the time I was dropped off at my apartment building, my hair had come out of its clips and was lying on my shoulders, my face flushed, and my makeup smudged. I wondered what I'd be dreaming about when I finally got to sleep.

I laid awake for a long while that night, but I was smiling. I'd expected LaCroix to take the opportunity to keep his distance once we'd left Samantha's party. Instead... I grinned wider into the dark bedroom. At least I'd proven him wrong on one point: that physical acts like kissing _could _still have an effect on a person whose heart would no longer beat. Recalling our kisses in the limo, I realized that his mouth and hands had begun to feel warmer the longer I kissed him. Was it my warmth reflecting back to me, or was that a sign that his body actually _was_ responding? Either way, it didn't matter. I loved the startling chill of his lips and hands on my skin, even if a few weeks ago the mere thought would have repelled me. I finally drifted to sleep while wondering if I'd be able to keep myself convinced that our interaction was all just an act.


	8. Chapter 8

___Hands touching me everywhere but where I need to feel them most. Needle sharp teeth on my shoulder, making me gasp. An ice cold finger down my spine, making me arch against him. My voice: "It's all chemical, right? Making one's skin flush and one's heart beat fast?"_

___His: "Are you trying to seduce me, Miss Lucas?" Another biting kiss on my neck._

___Mine: "Would you hate me forever if I did?"_

___His: "Would you?" Teeth pierce my neck. His arms hold me as I feel my life fade. I'm falling...

* * *

_

The next afternoon, Mercurio came by unannounced. "Boy oh boy, have _you _got the whole town talkin'!" he said in greeting as he came into the apartment. "So what's true and what's not about you two?" he asked. I couldn't tell if he was amused or pissed.

I shrugged, closing the door. "He was having a problem with an unwanted admirer," I explained. "I suggested, since she had presented him with an invitation to a party, that I could go with him and pretend to be his girlfriend. Make it look like he's already attached to someone, you know?"

Mercurio narrowed his eyes. "People are sayin' you were all over each other."

I shrugged. "We shared a couple dances..." I glanced in Mercurio's direction, trying to quickly determine if he knew I was holding something back. His expression told me he did. "Maybe kissed a few times..."

"Ah, holy Christ," he said, throwing his arms up. "What'd I tell you about that? Huh?"

"Relax, it's an act!" I said, trying to laugh. "Like I told _him_, I'm not under any illusion he's going to suddenly fall for me."

"People think you're a couple now! This is going to have to go beyond last night!"

"Yeah, we know."

Mercurio stared at me incredulously. "And LaCroix...he's perfectly _okay _with all this?"

I shrugged, sitting down on the couch. "He said he prefers this to letting her think a moment longer that he's interested in her."

"Aw, Jesus..." Mercurio paced back and forth in front of the couch. "So you. What are _you _getting outta this?"

"Well, let's see! I'm getting the attention of a good-looking guy--"

"_Vampire_," Mercurio corrected.

"--who has already given me employment, housing, paid for my _incredibly _expensive get-up last night... Oh, and who _spared my fuckin' **life**_."

"And for that, you think you owe him?" Mercurio asked, staring me down. "Don't you forget who stuck his neck out to_ get_ you this job and make sure your fuckin' life was spared!"

"I haven't forgotten; but right now, this _is _my job," I said, getting to my feet and stepping closer to Mercurio. "Last night was an assignment for me. Now, until he calls it off, it's my assignment for an undetermined length of time. Then, when it's over, I get to play the jilted lover or some shit like that. I dunno, we haven't discussed it that far."

Mercurio rolled his eyes. "Wow. I just...wow. How do you get yourself into this shit, Nat?"

I crossed my arms, frowning. "I don't see what the problem is."

"The _problem _is that you already liked the guy, and now you're in the perfect position to get yourself hurt!" he yelled. "You're just foolin' yourself! You _know _this doesn't mean anything to him! I'm _sure _it means a whole hell of a lot more than nothin' to you!"

"It doesn't!" I argued. "It—It's like having a friend with benefits. It just feels good, so I'm going with it!"

"_Please _tell me it hasn't gotten that far," he said, his eyes begging.

I smirked. "Think about how you'd feel if I said yes."

"Oh god..."

"It hasn't!" I said, laughing. "He was a perfect gentleman, even when we kissed. But come on, seriously? Do you _really _wanna know that much about the situation?"

"Baby, I wanna be sure you don't get _hurt_." He put both hands on my shoulders. "Something like that could put both you and me in a real awkward situation. I don't think this is a good idea, but there's no goin' back now. Just keep reminding yourself that it's fake, okay? Don't get too caught up in it."

I put my arms around him and pulled him into a hug. "I know. I'll be okay."

Mercurio looked at me closely. "How long has it been since your last drink?"

"I dunno, almost two months, I guess?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I thought you were seeming a little cranky. You've been doin' a lot more work recently. And after last night? You're probably gonna start jonesin' for it bad pretty soon." Mercurio kissed me on the forehead. "You'll be all right. Go down and get your fix tonight. 'S where I just came from."

"He's there?" I asked. "Already?" I looked up at the clock; there was no way the sun would have set already.

"Nah, I don't get it directly from the man; you know that." He eyed me suspiciously. "And you don't have to get it directly from him either, ya know..." I shrugged. "I think it's more than the blood you're addicted to," he said. His expression was worried.

I shrugged again. "I _do _need to see him. We need to go over how we're playing this from here on out," I said half-heartedly.

He nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, all right. Hey, I'm gonna head home. You call if you need anything, okay?"

"Yeah, I will," I promised, giving him a hug. He left, seeming reluctant to leave me on my own. I gave him a big smile and another hug at the door, trying to reassure him.

* * *

My apartment was too quiet. Even with the tv or stereo on, I couldn't get away from my own thoughts. I decided to take a walk. I pulled on a light leather jacket and left the building. I meandered through the streets, not really having a destination. I explored alleys and streets I'd avoided in the past. Some might have said that I had a death wish, considering the fact that not all of the areas I was walking through have been heralded for their safety, especially after dark.

My original plan was to walk around until sunset, then head to Venture Tower. However, after my talk with Mercurio, I felt like stubbornly proving to myself that I could delay my visit to LaCroix as long as I wanted. So I continued to wander even after the last traces of sunlight had left the sky. I started to see vampires coming out of their havens for the night, probably to feed. Gangrels with their reddish eyes betraying the flimsy hold they had on the Beast inside themselves, Toreadors in their fancy clothes giving flirtatious glances meant to seduce and lure the unsuspecting plaything/prey, Brujah with their muscles and suspicious glares. I'm sure there were others that I couldn't detect due to their adept ability to blend in with kine.

I turned right, walking down an alley that would shorten my trip to Venture Tower. There was a scratching sound behind me; but I shrugged it off, assuming it was a rat I'd scared from his dumpster home. I huge, dark form rose up in front of me, making me gasp and stop in my tracks. In the light from the alleyway's opening behind me, I could see the glint of sharp fangs. "If it isn't the little _princess_," the figure said in a deep, rasping voice.

I felt claws lightly scratch the side of my neck, then my jacket was ripped off me, nearly pulling my arms out of their sockets in the process. "The little one gets a good allowance from her _prince_," another grating voice said, following by a wheezing laugh.

A hand on my arm made me spin around; and I came face to face with an ugly, scarred Gangrel, grinning wide to show off his fangs. I tried to pull my arm out of his grip unsuccessfully; my efforts only made him laugh. "Does the prince know his little ghoul is running about all by herself?" he asked in a mocking tone.

"Let me go, I have nothing to do with you," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

All three of them were laughing now. "You going to see your sugar daddy, _human_?" the first said. I was shoved from the side, making me stumble and fall to my knees. A swipe of claws against my back tore my t-shirt and my skin, making me cry out in pain as I collapsed on the dirty pavement.

I heard a sick slurping sound. "Mmm, you smell that, boys?" the scarred vampire said. "Smells like dinner's on LaCroix's little whore!"

Inside, I wanted to growl at him, tell him that I was nobody's whore, that LaCroix wasn't my "sugar daddy." What came out was a whimper of pain when I tried to get up, my arms collapsing beneath me. One of them picked me up by my neck, choking off my airway. The first one I'd seen was the one holding me, bringing me face to face with him as I kicked at air; he was a Nosferatu. My hands gripped his clawed fingers, trying to pull them away and bring air back to my lungs; but it was useless to try to overpower a vampire's strength. There was another swipe at my back in the other direction this time. I tried to twist out of the Nosferatu's hand, but my back hurt too much, and he was too strong.

As dizziness began to settle in my head from lack of oxygen, I thought, _If I had just gone to Venture Tower as soon as it got dark like I'd originally planned, I wouldn't have died like this..._

"She's a sweet one," one of the vampires said, licking his claws. I assumed he was the one who'd been doing the damage to me; I couldn't identify his clan in the darkness of the alley. I felt a hand on the wounds on my back, and the pain finally made me pass out.

* * *

"Hey. Hey, kid."

I was lying on my side, smelling the trash that was somewhere near me. I coughed, feeling my throat burn. The convulsion caused by my coughing made my back explode with pain.

"Kid, you okay?"

I weakly raised my head and forced my eyes to focus. "Nines?"

"Fuck, they tore you up, didn't they?" he asked, a hand lightly resting on my shoulder.

I groaned, nodding. "Where'd they go?"

"The Sabbat pussies decided to put up a fight," he said with a humorless chuckle. "I took 'em out."

I smiled. "Thanks." Gritting my teeth and gathering my strength, I got to my feet with help from Nines. I shivered as I felt blood drip down my back. Glancing around, I caught sight of my jacket and put it on, wincing in pain.

"In a hurry?" Nines said, frowning.

"I've gotta get to LaCroix," I said. "I wouldn't be in this bad of shape if I'd gotten my blood on time."

"Sounds like something _he _should have taken care of," Nines grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

I shrugged, then instantly regretted it. "Listen, I appreciate your saving my ass," I told him, laying a hand on his arm. "I'll let LaCroix know."

He snorted. "Forget it. I don't need his obligatory recognition."

I frowned. "Fine. Regardless, you have _my _gratitude."

"I guess I can put up with that," he said with a chuckle. He reached out and ran a thumb down my cheek. "Go get yourself taken care of, kid. You're gonna lose blood fast."

I nodded and gave him a smile, leaving the alley slowly, each step a world of pain.

When I reached the security desk at Venture Tower, it took all my strength to pretend I was okay and stand up straight. "I need to see LaCroix."

The guard glanced up at me, and I was hoping there wasn't blood on my face. I had zipped up my jacket to cover the stains on my shirt and hide my torn back. The guard chuckled. "We gotta get you a key card or somethin' so you don't have to check in all the time."

"I'll mention it to LaCroix," I said with a weak smile. "Thanks." Tugging my leather jacket as low as I could, I went up to the elevator, breathing a labored sigh as the doors closed and I started my ascent to the office. My teeth were grinding together in an effort to walk and stand normally as I entered LaCroix's office. He looked up from his desk, his eyes narrowed with an unspoken question. Halfway across the room, I stumbled and fell.

"What's wrong?" I heard LaCroix say, but I couldn't look up. My back was on fire. I wanted to just curl up in the fetal position, but I couldn't even do that without whimpering in pain. I heard footsteps, then could smell his cologne. "What's the matter?" he said, next to me now. I felt his hand on my face. "You're bleeding; I can smell it. What happened?"

"S...Sabbat," I managed to croak. My voice was still hoarse from being choked earlier.

"Where?"

"Dead."

There was a pause. Then, "_You _killed them?"

"Nines." I reached out and placed my hand on LaCroix's knee. He was kneeling right next to me. "I need blood," I said, opening my eyes.

As gently as he could, he rolled me on my side. The process only made me yelp in pain once. My eyes closed again; but before I could pass out, I felt a liquid drip onto my lips. I licked it off and sighed, already feeling my muscles relax a bit. He pressed his wrist against my lips so I could drink without holding onto him. I didn't drink greedily. The more I drank, the more I relaxed, the less I felt pain from my injuries. When he took his wrist away, I rolled onto my back, then flipped quickly to my stomach as a jolt of pain brought me out of my blood daze. "I thought vamp blood was supposed to _heal _us ghouls," I complained.

"It helps, but it's not a miracle cure," LaCroix said. He offered a hand to help me up. I stood slowly as my back was still in pain, but I could feel that the worst and deepest of the slashes were better. "Sit down and tell me what happened," LaCroix directed.

I moved over to one of his leather couches, gingerly sitting as he stood in front of me with his arms crossed, his eyebrows knitted together with concern. "I had decided to walk around town because I had nothing better to do," I began. "I decided to come by here to get my blood for the month—thank you, by the way..." LaCroix nodded, gesturing with a hand for me to continue. "Anyway, I took a shortcut through an alley." I chuckled. "Wrong fuckin' alley. This gigantic Nosferatu blocked my way, and another vamp—don't know what clan he was—ripped my coat off me and tossed it aside. The third, a Gangrel, I'm pretty sure, grabbed my arm. They were mocking me at first, calling me your little princess, LaCroix's whore, saying you were my sugar daddy, all that shit. Next thing I know, they knocked me to the ground and began slashing up my back, saying something about dinner. One of 'em picked me up by the neck and choked me until I passed out." My hand went up to my throat automatically. It felt much better, soothed by the blood I'd drunk. "When I woke up, Nines was there. He said they tried to fight, but he killed them. I picked up my jacket and came here after that."

LaCroix touched a finger to his lips in thought. "Hm. News seems to travel through _all _the sects with amazing speed," he mused.

"You're tellin' me," I chuckled, trying to find a comfortable position for my back and failing. "Mercurio came by my place today and ripped me a new one over last night."

"He doesn't approve?" LaCroix asked with an eyebrow raised.

"He thinks you're gonna hurt me. Emotionally." I struggled out of my coat, hoping the lack of its extra weight would bring relief to my back. "I told him it's all an act. He's just worried about me. Family concern and all that."

"Hm." LaCroix was watching me closely, but he wasn't revealing his thoughts at the moment.

"Speaking of, that was another reason I wanted to come down here to talk to you personally," I said. "How long are we going to keep it up, anyway? I mean, I may want to have a _real_ boyfriend at some time; but I know I _can't_ as long as this is going on."

He looked at me for a moment longer before turning around and walking over to the fireplace on the opposite wall. "I haven't had time to think about that yet," he said. "If you're worried about this interfering with future emotional attachments, we can deal with that when the time comes. As long as you aren't about to tell me that you've already committed to such an attachment." He looked at me with a guarded expression. I couldn't tell if he was threatening me or if he'd welcome such an announcement.

I shook my head. "I haven't had a boyfriend since moving here," I said. "Closest I got was Nines, but you shut _that _down real quick," I added with a slight bitterness to my voice.

"You hold that against me?" he asked. His expression still wasn't giving anything away.

After thinking about it for a moment, I shrugged slightly. "No, not really. Realistically, I don't think anything would have happened between me and Nines. Just all in my head, you know? Wishful thinking."

LaCroix scoffed. "You're better off."

I rolled my eyes. "So...what, then? Are we just going to keep playing this game until we get bored and decide to announce a mutual agreement to dissolve our relationship?" I asked with a half smile on my face.

"I told you. I haven't decided as of yet."

I pushed myself up off the couch, gritting my teeth, and walked over to LaCroix's side. "Well, you just let me know when you _do _decide," I said softly, leaning close to him. "Because I know better than anyone else that nothing's gonna happen if it's not on your calendar."

He looked down at me, flames reflecting in his eyes. "Do _you _wish to take the reins for a while, Miss Lucas? Because I would _love _to see in what kind of blaze of glory I'd go out if I allowed you to do so."

I glared at him for a moment, receiving nothing but an icy glare of his own in response. My resolve began to crumble a little when I recalled how he'd been looking at me the night before with such warmth. _It's all fake,_ I reminded myself as I looked away. "I should go," I said quietly, backing away a couple steps.

"You should," he said with a nod. "Get a shower, Miss Lucas. Once those wounds are clean, they'll heal faster." He walked slowly back to his desk, hands clasped behind his back.

"Yes, sir. Thank you for the help." He glanced at me and nodded once before sitting down at his desk and going back to work. I picked up my jacket and shrugged it on before leaving the office slowly, confused as to why I was feeling so sad now that the dream that had been the previous night was finally broken.

* * *

Taking LaCroix's advice, I took a hot shower when I got back to my apartment. It stung like hell, but I made myself endure it. I watched the brownish-red water swirl down the drain as the blood was washed from my skin. Afterwards, I _did _feel better, though my back was still in pain. At least I could stand without passing out. I stretched out on the couch and watched tv all night, not really paying attention to the shows. My mind was going over Mercurio's warnings. I knew deep down that he was right. I was even starting to give up being stubborn and admitting it to myself that he was right. Sighing, I curled my arm under my head and remembered being held in LaCroix's arms. Yeah, it was too late for me; I had enjoyed that way too much and got attached to the feeling. Now I had to deal with the consequences, which was being hurt because I was the only one attached to it. Not _his _fault. All my own. I sighed again, staring at the tv screen.

My phone began to buzz from its spot on the coffee table. I stretched over to grab it, grimacing as I pulled my back a little too much.

_Subject: Your injuries_

_From: LaCroix_

_How are you feeling? - SL_

I smiled at the words on my phone's screen. A week ago, I would have been shocked to have him showing concern. Tonight, it was just comforting. I got up and went up to my computer to reply.

_Subject: RE:Your __injuries_

_From: Lucas, N_

_Better. I took your suggestion, and that helped, but there's still some pain. I'll be moving a little slowly for a couple days, I think. Thanks for your concern. Made me smile. :)_

_ ~Nat_

Checking the clock on my screen, I could see it was almost 5 AM. As if on cue, I yawned, trying to consciously keep from stretching too much. Just as I'd left my computer chair to get ready for bed, my cell phone buzzed again.

_Subject: RE:RE:Your __injuries_

_From: LaCroix_

_Good to hear. I'll take into consideration your discomfort when assigning any tasks over the next several days. Get some rest. - SL_

Grinning, I sat back down at my computer for a quick reply. I knew he would roll his eyes at it, but I had to annoy him in _some _way. It wouldn't be me otherwise.

_Subject: RE:RE:RE:Your __injuries_

_From Lucas, N_

_You could always assign me to pose as your girlfriend, whom you're treating to a day at a luxurious spa. ;) I think I could do that without my back giving me too much trouble._

_~Nat_

With that, I shut down my computer and went into the bedroom to get ready for bed. Just before I turned out the light, I remembered I'd left my cell phone next to the computer. I went to go get it and noticed that the alert light was blinking. I'd gotten another email while I'd been in the other room.

_Subject: RE:RE:RE:RE:Your __injuries_

_From: LaCroix_

_Glad to see your sense of humour was left in tact. Sleep well. - SL_

I grinned. We seemed to get along better over email than in person, I noted. Deciding to take his advice to get some rest, I went to bed, falling to sleep almost immediately.

* * *

**A/N: I am having WAY too much fun with this, you guys. ;) I absolutely LOVE you all for reading, but I wanna give a shout-out to Loving Companion Cube, whose fics ****Schattenspiel and Schattenjäger were what pushed me to get started on some VtM:B ficcage. (READ THOSE FICS IF YOU HAVEN'T PREVIOUSLY; THEY ARE BEYOND AWESOME.) Your reviews and feedback has encouraged me to work on this every day for the past week at least, so expect at least a few more guaranteed days of daily updates. ;) Once again, feel free to let me know how you're enjoying it or if you see something starting to go awry. I wanna know if I'm still doing this right! LOL Much love and thanks for reading!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: It is 2 AM, I am up, and I am wrestling with LaCroix to keep him from being horribly OOC in later chapters. So here is a new chapter that I am satisfied with. Now back to further battle with the Prince for me. -_-;**

* * *

Over the next couple of days, Mercurio stopped by to check up on me. He told me he'd gotten an email from LaCroix, telling him about my run-in with the Sabbat. "Maybe you _have _broken through his shell a little bit," Mercurio told me.

I laughed and shook my head. "No, he just wants you to check on his investment," I joked. "Come on, don't encourage me, remember?"

Mercurio winked at me. "Yeah, good point."

My back healed faster than I would have expected, but I suspected LaCroix's blood had something to do with it. By the time four days had passed, I could hardly tell there had been any pain there at all. On that fourth day, I received an email from LaCroix, asking me to come to his office. The timing of it made me wonder if he'd had Mercurio reporting my status to him.

When I got to the tower and checked in with security, the guard told me to wait a moment. He turned his back to me and picked up the phone, calling LaCroix's office. He spoke too softly for me to hear, but finally hung up the phone and turned back to me. "All right, you can go on up," he said.

"Wait a minute. You guys have never had to do that before..."

The guard shrugged. "Mr. LaCroix has another visitor at the moment. I wanted to be sure it was okay to send you up at the same time." I nodded and thanked him before heading to the elevator. It crossed my mind that I should have asked who the visitor was, but it was pointless. I'd be finding out in a moment anyway.

I opened the door to the office somewhat quietly, not wanting to interrupt any conversation. LaCroix heard me anyway and smiled when he saw me. He and his guest were sitting at a small, round, marble-topped table. I wondered who this guest was that LaCroix was willing to sit on equal ground with him instead of at his desk which stood on a slightly elevated platform. The guest turned slightly in his chair when LaCroix got up; and upon seeing me, he rose from his seat as well. He was a tall man, dressed in a long, red leather coat over a dark red and gray suit. He was bald, and his dark skin seemed to only accentuate an air of mystery about him.

LaCroix walked over to me and took one of my hands in his, giving me a loose hug with his other arm. "So glad you could make it before the Regent had to leave, darling," he said with a smile. He walked me over to the table where he and the other man had been sitting. "Miss Natalie Lucas, may I introduce you to Maximilian Strauss, Regent of the Tremere chantry here in Los Angeles."

The Regent offered a soft smile and took my hand, bowing low to kiss the back of it. "So this is the young woman who seems to have captured our Prince's heart," he said, his voice low and quiet.

I smiled. "A pleasure to meet you, Regent."

"And you, Miss Lucas. Now, if you'll both excuse me, I should be getting back to the chantry to attend to some matters."

"Nothing troubling, I trust?" LaCroix said, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"No, no, nothing of any major concern. A young neonate showed up at my door three nights ago, nearly frenzied and badly beaten. He seems to be healing well, but--"

"I received no notice of a new childe in our community," LaCroix said, a deep frown on his face now.

"This fledgling seems to be from outside our city," the Regent explained calmly. "He has not yet given any insight as to who his sire is, but he mentioned that he had just come in from Las Vegas."

LaCroix seemed surprised. "He's Tremere, then?"

"Of course."

"Hm. I'll trust you to keep an eye on him. It disturbs me to know that he's been here for so long without my knowledge."

"You have had other things on your mind, my Prince." I caught sight of a small hand gesture that the Regent made, seemingly directed at me.

LaCroix lifted his chin, a motion I recognized as regaining his air of superiority when he felt it had been attacked. I also felt his hand squeeze mine a little more tightly, but I didn't know if it was because of the sudden tension in his frame or a protective gesture. "I've not been so preoccupied as to be unconcerned regarding the state of Kindred affairs in this city. Yes, I've had matters to which I've had to attend; but certainly a mere phone call or short visit wasn't out of the question."

"Of course, my Prince," the Regent said, bowing low. "My apologies for my assumptions. Of course I'll be keeping a close surveillance of the neonate. I'll be certain to advise you of any information I am able to collect."

"Yes, you do that. Thank you, Regent." The Regent bowed once again before turning and leaving.

LaCroix's eyes stayed trained on the door for a few moments after it closed. "He's acting suspicious," I said quietly.

He looked at me, almost seeming startled that I was still there, even more so that he was still holding my hand. "Strauss is always one to keep to himself a little more than I like" he grumbled, letting me go and walking to the fireplace. "There's always a feeling that he's trying for any possible way to undermine me." He gestured in the direction of the door with a flung-out arm. "You heard what he was trying to say. I _know _you would have picked up something _that _obvious."

I nodded. "Just as you said people would." An indirect "you were right" meant to soothe the Prince's ruffled feathers.

He nodded, taking a deep breath as he stared at the flames. "It's getting rather tiring, dealing with those who are supposed to be trusted advisors who wind up merely taking their own jabs at me whenever they find an opportunity." He frowned fiercely as he spat out, "Sycophants..."

I let him simmer for a few moments before stepping closer to him. "If I could change the subject slightly, Prince, what was it you called me in for?"

Looking up from the fireplace, he blinked at me; and I could tell he was trying to push aside the thoughts of the Regent. "Ah. Yes. Er, more bad news, I'm afraid."

Uh oh. "What's wrong?" I followed as LaCroix crossed the office to his desk. I stood in front of it as he sat.

"I received notification earlier today that the Skyeline Apartments will be undergoing some drastic construction beginning next month. I'm taking this opportunity to move your belongings into the tower."

I stared at him for a few moments. "So I'm going to be living _here _next month?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Indefinitely."

I rolled my eyes with a sigh. "Great. So the princess gets locked in the tower," I muttered.

LaCroix looked up at me with a stern expression. "Did I say anything of _locking _you in your room? If anything, you'll have greater freedom than before as you'll have nearly as much access in this tower as I do."

"'Nearly'?"

He gave me a look that said I should know the answer to my own question. When I didn't respond, he rolled his eyes and said in an irritated tone, "What I _mean _is, I'd very much prefer that you _ask_, at least, before entering my own private quarters."

"Oh." Duh. Of course. "So you _do _live here then," I mused. "I'd always wondered about that."

He nodded, rising from his chair while reaching into his coat. He handed me a small, gray, plastic card with no printing on it. "Your suite will be the 55th floor, directly below my own."

"I get the whole _floor_?" I asked as I took the key card from him. He nodded, seeming both amused and confused by my question. "Holy shit," I breathed, looking at the card. "And I can do whatever I want with it?"

At that, LaCroix visibly cringed. "Within reason..."

"Meaning no busting down walls to make a bigger bathroom or something like that, right?"

"Well, I'd _prefer _the décor to remain the same; but if you find it doesn't suit you, I'm sure we could come to a compromise."

I chuckled. "Just like a married couple." He cringed again, trying to cover it by scratching his neck. I laughed. "So when do I move in?"

"Any time you like," he answered, seeming relieved I didn't press the previous issue any more. "You won't have need to move any furniture as the suite is already furnished. If you have any heavy belongings that you can't do without, I'd advise you to make moving arrangements during daylight hours, to belay any suspicions."

I nodded. "Probably just for my books," I said, more to myself than anyone. "So...that was the bad news? That I'm moving in?"

He leaned back in his chair, hands flat on the desktop. "I had assumed you'd take it as such, considering the fact that you aren't being given a choice in the matter."

I shrugged. "I'm getting used to that." Beginning to walk backwards towards the door, I smiled. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna get some things packed up. Might as well get it over with." LaCroix nodded, gathering up some papers and waving me out. He'd already begun to move on as if I wasn't still in the room.

* * *

The next day, I had some movers come in to take my books, clothes, and stereo to Venture Tower. They seemed impressed when I told them where they were delivering to. It was somewhat sobering for me to realize that I hardly had any other personal belongings besides those anymore. I'd sold so much when I was trying to get out of Santa Monica. A lot of my previous life had been lost during that mad rush that ultimately wound up as unnecessary.

My first time in the suite was when the movers came up with me. It only took two trips up the elevator for them to bring in my belongings. One for my books and stereo, one for my clothes. When the movers were gone, I took a look around. The suite was decorated very similarly to LaCroix's office, ivory and gold patterns on the walls, wood floors with expensive rugs, a fireplace on one wall, windows overlooking the street on another. To the right, however, was a dining area; and beyond that, a large kitchen. Past the kitchen was a door leading into the bedroom, a rather large room holding several wardrobes and a huge bed. The bed's frame was dark cherry wood with tall posts at each corner. The bedding was red satin and looked brand new.

A doorway in the bedroom led to a long bathroom, one wall of which was a mirror. The other wall had two marble pedestal sinks with gold faucets, matching towel rings on the wall on either side. The shower was amazing. The tiled wall separating it from the bathroom only came waist-high with frosted glass the rest of the way up to the ceiling. There was no door; but the shower head was directly above in the ceiling, designed to flow directly down over a person like a waterfall instead of being at an angle. Across from the shower was a large claw-foot bathtub, which made me smile. I couldn't remember the last time I'd taken a relaxing bubble bath, but I knew I'd have the opportunity soon.

Overall, while the suite was decorated according to LaCroix's tastes and not my own, I had no complaints. It was elegant, more so than any place I could have ever imagined myself living. Plus, I didn't have to worry about rent, which was a major plus. With a satisfied sigh, I opened one of the boxes and started arranging my books in one of the bookcases in the living area.

* * *

I don't sleep well in new places. I'd just gotten used to the apartment at Skyeline, and now I had to start the process over again. If I had been a normal person, it wouldn't have been a bad time. I was getting to sleep early in the night, waking up early in the morning. However, for a ghoul who usually has to work nights, this was a problem. Fortunately, my assignments were kinda sporadic at the time; so I tried to work on sleeping during the day instead. LaCroix told me that there were shades in each room of the suite that would come down over the windows at the flip of a switch next to the light switch panels. They were specifically made to block out all traces of sunlight. Definitely a vampire's tower.

After a couple days of trying to force sleeping during the daylight hours, I gave up in the midst of tossing and turning, getting dressed and venturing out into my living area. I looked out the windows, smiling to myself to see the city bustling along in the sunlight. The warmth felt nice as well. I walked over to a bookshelf and located one of my favorite books, pulling it out and sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of one of the windows to read.

After about fifteen minutes, I closed my book again and sighed, unable to concentrate. I was shifting my position too much, cross-legged, then to my knees, then lying on my stomach... No matter what I tried, I couldn't find a comfortable position. I got up and walked over to the window again. The view was nice, but I found myself envious of the view LaCroix had from his office, some forty floors up. Then it occurred to me: LaCroix said I pretty much had run of this whole place except for his living quarters. That included his office, didn't it? It took me all of a minute to make my decision, and I picked up my book from the floor and left.

When I reached the penthouse, I tried the handle. Locked. I swiped my key card and heard the tell-tale buzz. Trying the handle again, it worked this time. The office seemed even bigger without the overhead lights and candelabras blazing. The climate control in the building kept the temperature comfortable, but there was an unexplainable chill in the air without the fireplace being lit. It just seemed empty, almost creepy. I found myself tiptoeing through the office, acting as if any sound would bring the whole place down. I decided my uneasiness was due in part to the fact that I'd never been in the office when LaCroix wasn't present, the only exception being when I had organized his files. He'd _known _I was going to be in there at that time, at least.

Trying to shake the feeling that I was intruding, I walked over to the window and decided with a look outside that I _did _like the view better from this height. I watched the city for a few moments before walking back to LaCroix's desk, pulling out his chair and sitting down. Nice. No wonder he could sit here working for hours a night. I leaned back, vetoing the idea of propping my feet on his desk as I opened my book again and began to read.

It didn't take me long to get engrossed in the mystery I was reading. I only let myself be interrupted long enough for me to go around the office, turning on the lights, lighting the candles and fireplace, then going back to my book. It wasn't quite yet sunset, but the sun had moved enough to make the natural light in the office rather dim.

The sound of the office door opening made me jump. I saw LaCroix come in, his head down as he read his messages with an expression that made it seem that he was deep in thought. A quick glance around told me that the sun had indeed set; the city was dark outside except for the usual lights in and on buildings around the area. "Good evening, Prince," I greeted him, feeling strangely nervous.

He looked up, a slight frown on his face. "Good evening," he returned. "What are you doing here?"

I got up from his chair, taking my book with me. "It seemed like a comfortable place to read. I couldn't sleep."

He nodded but gave me a weird look as he sat in the chair I'd just vacated. He took a look around, then sighed. "I _knew _it..." he said under his breath.

I looked around as well, hoping I hadn't done anything I shouldn't have while I'd been in there. "What? What's wrong?"

"I meant to bring up a bottle from my room and completely forgot," he said, turning his attention back to his messages.

"Want me to go get it?" Truth be told, I was bursting with curiosity to see where the Prince lived.

He looked up at me briefly before reaching into his coat and pulling out a black key card. "Please. It should be on the table by the windows." As I took the card from him, he grabbed my hand. "I trust you won't let your exploring nature take over while you're there."

I grinned at him. "I won't get snoopy, don't worry." LaCroix let go of my hand and went back to his messages, leaving me free to head to the elevator. Once on the 56th floor, I slid LaCroix's key card and opened the door. The living area was similar to my own, just differently arranged furniture and a few more pieces than I had. Oh yeah, and a beautifully glossy black piano in the middle. I was immediately drawn to the instrument, touching it gently with my fingertips. LaCroix could play piano? He didn't seem the type in my mind.

Hardly able to tear my eyes off the piano, I walked over to a table near the windows at the edge of the room and picked up a green bottle and a clear goblet that had been set next to it. I couldn't help my urge to wander a bit, and I walked through the dining area into the kitchen. Everything was pristine, and I knew none of it was ever used. Curiosity took over for a moment as I opened the refrigerator door. It was mostly empty, though a few blood packs and a couple bottles like the one I held were sitting on the shelves. I smiled and closed the door. I could smell LaCroix's cologne still heavy in the air, wafting out from the bedroom door. Risking a quick glance into the bedroom, I could see that the bed was similar to my own, but dark gray satin sheets instead of red. I bit my lip, a vision of myself lying on that bed while smelling that cologne coming into my head without my consent. Blushing, I hurried out of the suite, making sure to turn out the lights as I left.

Back in the office, I set the bottle and glass on LaCroix's desk. "You found it without any problems?" he asked, looking up at me.

I nodded. "I didn't know you played piano," I mentioned, deciding there would be no harm in it. There was no way I could have gone in there _without _noticing it.

Standing, he shrugged. "Rarely." He opened the bottle and sniffed at the mouth, closing his eyes as he did so.

"When do you get the time?" I asked, watching as he licked his lips and exhaled.

"I haven't in a long while." I could tell as he poured liquid from the bottle into the goblet that it wasn't wine. The blood in the glass was deep red and opaque. He took a drink, cleaning the blood that had collected on his upper lip with his tongue. "I can't recall if I've had the opportunity since coming to Los Angeles," he said, frowning into his glass.

"That's a shame," I said.

He looked up at me. "Do you play?"

I shook my head, smiling. "No. My brother does, and my mom does. I never got the hang of it. I'd love to learn, but I hated it when either of them tried to teach me."

"Why?"

"My brother was too impatient with me. My mom...she'd try to give me an example of how to do something and wind up spending an hour playing it herself." I laughed. "She loved playing, though, so I couldn't fault her for it." LaCroix nodded before taking another drink. I tilted my head to the side, studying him. "You should take a day off, sometime," I said gently. "Just do what _you _like to do."

"Are you implying I don't like my job, Miss Lucas?" He had a half-smile on his face as he spoke.

I shrugged. "I don't know if you do or not. You just don't have the time to do anything _but _work. It's kinda sad. I'm sure there's _something _else you'd like to do."

He drained the glass before speaking. "Have you forgotten that I recently attended _both _of Miss Xavier's events?"

I grinned. "No, but I also said something that you'd _like _to do."

LaCroix laughed, nodding. "Good point, though I might remind you that the most recent event wasn't _too _much of a burden," he said with a quick wink. I blushed and smiled. He poured himself another glass of blood again before replacing the stopper in the bottle and sitting down.

"I, uh...I hope you don't feel that my reading in here was an intrusion," I said, still feeling somewhat nervous about his having found me in the office without his permission.

He shook his head as he began writing on his messages as I'd seen him do before. "No, not at all."

I grinned, feeling relieved. "So...you probably want me to leave now, though, huh?"

Setting his pen down, LaCroix looked up at me, seeming only slightly irritated. "Frankly, Miss Lucas, as long as you're quiet, I don't care where you choose to spend your time, provided I'm not meeting with the primogen or similarly indisposed."

Grabbing my book from the corner of his desk where I'd left it when I went to retrieve the bottle of blood for him, I gave him another smile and went to one of the couches near the center of the room. I reclined on the couch and settled down to read. It was more comfortable for me to be in the same room as someone else rather than completely alone. I was amused to hear LaCroix mumble to himself every now and then, his words too quiet for me to catch. Soon, though, I found my eyelids getting heavy and wound up asleep on the couch.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Two in one day! Oh em gee! Ah, mostly because this one's short, really. Apologies for the short chapter. If I didn't cut it here, though, it would have gone into a whole new place and been a HUGE chapter. Better to split it up in this case, I decided. Have fun, ducklings. ;)  


* * *

**

___Gray satin marred with blotchy, rust-red stains against my naked skin. His body is cold, but I curl my own around him anyway. My heart still beats hard behind my breast. I bury my face in his neck, breathing his scent. I am in love with a dead man. Can death love?_

___His hand wraps around my wrist and pulls me nearer, forcing me to press closer against his back. His fangs pierce my wrist, and he drinks. It is his way of putting me to sleep. My deadly lullaby. I kiss his neck as my body relaxes and my heart slows.

* * *

_

My eyes came open slowly, and I shifted on the couch. Something was covering me like a blanket. I pulled it up a little more to cover my ear, an old habit. Taking a deep breath, I could smell LaCroix's cologne all around me. It made me smile. A little more of the sleepy fog was lifting from my brain, and I sat up. My "blanket" was actually his coat, I found. Still smiling, I slipped my arms into the sleeves and stood, walking over to his desk. LaCroix glanced up at me, giving a small smile when he saw me wearing his coat. "How long was I out?" I asked, running my fingers through my tangled curls.

"Only a couple of hours," he said, stacking some papers together. When I approached his side, I leaned down and kiss his cheek. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"For this," I said, hugging his coat around me a little tighter.

"I'm going to want it back," he said, going back to his paperwork.

"I know. It was just a sweet gesture." I reluctantly took off the coat and laid it over the side of his desk. "Anything I can do to help you?" I asked.

"Not tonight," he said, "though we may be making an appearance at a colleague's residence tomorrow evening." He looked up at me as if to gauge my reaction.

I shrugged. "Fine with me. What kind of appearance?"

"Momentary, thankfully." He gathered up the pile of paperwork he'd just finished and stood, walking to the filing cabinet. "Just to welcome him to the city. My official acknowledgment of him."

I raised an eyebrow. "Formal Ventrue stuff?"

"No." He closed the file cabinet and turned to me, idly pulling his pocket watch out to check the time as he spoke. "I worked with him in New York, back in the '30s. He's shown up here suddenly and hasn't announced his presence in _my _city for two weeks. I'm going up there to let him know he's not been left unnoticed and that I'm aware of his breach of etiquette."

"Is he a rival?" I asked, leaning one hip against the desk.

"I'm ensuring that he's not trying to _become _one, though I wouldn't be surprised if that's his intent." He sighed as he walked over to the fireplace, sitting down in the chair there.

"You think he's trying to take LA from you?" I asked, walking over to him.

He leaned forward, elbows propped on his knees and hands clasped in front of his mouth. "Considering our history, yes."

I sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, leaning back on my hands as I looked up at LaCroix. "Story time, boss. Out with it."

He chuckled. "He helped every step of the way when I staked my claim in New York," LaCroix explained. "When everything was coming to completion, he tried to pull the proverbial rug out from under me. Unfortunately for him, he didn't cover his tracks well enough, I was able to lay the groundwork to have him exiled from the state. Last I'd heard, he laid claim to Portland, Maine, as well as Boston. I didn't know he was coming west, though. The fact that he hasn't taken the time to come to announce himself is rather suspicious, especially after being here for half the month."

"So you're going up there to let him know that you aren't blind to his being in California and that you're watching him?"

LaCroix nodded, smiling at me. "Your presence will come into play in some interesting ways, if I know him."

"Oh? I'm not just arm candy?" I laughed.

"No. In fact, knowing how he thinks, your presence will be more political than anything. First of all, he thinks of me as a one-track mind, only focusing on my holdings. He'll be able to see that I'm not only taking care of my city, but I've been able to focus on a relationship at the same time." I grinned but stayed silent. "On top of that, he'll know without a doubt that I'll have both Kindred and kine watching him. You'll be the kine spokeswoman, in a sense."

"Ha, nice. So I'll be showing that you've got kine loyalty on top of your being Prince of the Kindred of LA." I nodded, seeing how effectively LaCroix's plan could make this guy too paranoid to make a move. "See, this is why I need to be in here more often," I said. "I learn a lot when I hang around."

He smiled. "You're not _learning _anything. You figured out the conclusions on your own. That's why I've often said that you _are _intelligent. It's just a matter of making sure you _use _that." He rose from his chair, offering me a hand to help me up.

I took it, getting to my feet; but I didn't let go of his hand right away. "So, tomorrow night...anything I need to know or get? How to dress, any specific way to act?"

"No reason to be too formal," he said, looking me over. "Use your judgment. Nothing too casual, but be sensible."

"Job interview, got it."

He chuckled. "As for how to act, you've done well so far. Be gracious and refined as you've been in the past; but don't speak unless spoken to directly, not even to me. We won't be there long, so you won't have to worry about much."

I nodded, filing his instructions in my memory. "What time?"

"We'll leave after 10."

Nodding again, I squeezed his hand. "Consider it another battle won."

His eyes were sparkling in the firelight as he smiled, showing his fangs. He bent and kissed the back of my hand, keeping eye contact the whole time.

* * *

The next night, I checked my reflection in the mirror, smiling at how I looked. I'd decided to play it safe, wearing the same outfit I'd worn when I'd tried to look professional to LaCroix, only ending the meeting sprawled on his floor with a twisted ankle. I didn't foresee any need to hurry this time, however, and figured I could handle wearing the heels.

There was a knock at my door, and I picked up my purse as I went to answer it. As I expected, LaCroix was waiting for me. "All ready," I said as I turned out the lights and closed the door behind me. "So what's this guy's name?"

"Charles Ingram."

"He's Ventrue as well?"

"Yes." LaCroix gave me a sidelong glance as we boarded the elevator. "Clan matters to you?"

I shrugged. "Not so much. More curious than anything. Plus, it helps me figure out how to act around them."

"Oh?"

I began ticking down my points on my fingers. "Ventrue, polite and polished. Tremere, pretty much the same. Toreador, expect them to be snobbish unless you compliment their ensemble. Malkavian, depends on the individual Kindred. Nosferatu, watch your wallet. Brujah, guard your words if you wanna keep your head..."

LaCroix laughed. "Is this what you've learned from Mercurio?"

I shrugged. "Kinda. I mean, he's told me about the clans. I've just made my own mental notes in my dealings with them."

LaCroix guided me out of the elevator with an arm around my waist. "The best advice I can give is to always stay quiet until you have a good assessment of the people and situation around you," he said. "No matter what the clan, if you can do that, you're a good several steps ahead of most people there."

"You think most people don't already do that?" I asked as we got into the waiting limo.

He shook his head, closing the door behind us. "In this day and age, the fatal mistake that so many make is trying to make themselves known. They draw attention to themselves before realizing with whom they're dealing. They show their hand too early, so to speak."

"So basically, smile, nod, watch, and listen."

"Exactly." Holding his head high, he smiled at me. "I'm eager to see you set out on your own someday. I think you'll do well."

I shrugged, looking down at my hands in my lap. "I'll never be able to be _totally _on my own," I said, glancing at him from the corner of my eye. "I'll always need your blood for the longevity I need."

"Well, we'll see how things play out. You may not."

I looked at him fully this time. "What do you mean?"

"If you set out early enough, you won't."

"Oh." For a moment, I'd thought he was hinting at my being Embraced. I often thought about whether or not I'd want to be. I still hadn't come to a steadfast answer to that question. "I don't know that I'd be ready that early."

LaCroix chuckled. "You don't have faith in your abilities yet," he said. "We'll work on that."

* * *

Charles Ingram was staying at a large house a few miles outside town. We arrived shortly after 11, the limo pulling up to a large stairway leading to double doors. It wasn't as large as the mansion we'd visited to pick up Calvin, but the house was still of good size. Probably once someone's summer home. My hand was tucked in LaCroix's arm as we climbed the stairs, and he rang the bell. When a young-looking woman answered the door, LaCroix asked, "Is Mr. Ingram available?"

"May I ask who's calling?" the woman asked, glancing from LaCroix to me.

"Sebastian LaCroix."

The woman nodded. "Wait here a moment, please," she said, closing the door again.

I looked over my shoulder towards the courtyard. It was starting to rain. I could hear the raindrops, but I could also smell the incoming storm. "Are you all right?" LaCroix asked.

I nodded, smiling up at him. "Fine. Just noticing that a storm's about to come through."

He nodded as the door opened, the woman gesturing for us to come in. "Follow me, please." She led us through the house to a back sitting room. Waiting there for us was a man whose appearance made him seem as though he was in his early fifties, though I knew he was much older. Next to him was a woman who looked to be close to my age with short, black hair and dark eyes. I felt LaCroix stiffen slightly.

"Mr. LaCroix," the man said, rising from his chair. He smiled, but it didn't carry to his eyes. The air in the room was already tense.

"Mr. Ingram," LaCroix said, inclining his head slightly. He looked to the woman and gave her a slight nod. "Miss Neubauer." She raised her chin but stayed silent, not even giving her own smile. Something about the way LaCroix had suddenly tensed up made me think it would be a good idea to keep an eye on the woman. That and the way she was glaring at us made me uneasy.

Mr. Ingram crossed the room and shook hands with LaCroix quickly. LaCroix gestured to me and said, "This is Miss Natalie Lucas--"

"I had wondered!" Mr. Ingram interrupted. "I'd heard you'd finally taken a wife!"

I chuckled as LaCroix shook his head. "Not a wife. Merely a close companion." He gave me a quick smile as he put his hand over mine on his arm. I glanced at Miss Neubauer and nearly shivered from the cold glare she was giving me.

"Oh, I see. My misunderstanding, then," Ingram said. "Please, come in and sit. It's been too long."

LaCroix bowed slightly. "My apologies. We can't be staying long." As he straightened, he lifted his chin in that way that asserted his importance. "I merely wanted to stop by and extend my formal welcome as Prince of Los Angeles."

I saw Ingram's jaw tense up. "I see," he said again, his words slightly clipped. "My thanks for the welcome."

LaCroix looked from Ingram to Miss Neubauer and back to the man before smiling ever so slightly. "I must say, I'm a little disappointed I hadn't received notice that you'd be in the city. It's my understanding you've been here a while, yes?"

"A couple of weeks," Ingram answered. His fists clenched momentarily before relaxing.

LaCroix tsk'd softly. "A shame. If I had known, I would have made time for a longer visit. Tell me, were you aware of Miss Samantha Xavier's recent introduction into the clan? The celebration was held nearby." Ingram shook his head wordlessly. His fists were clenched again. "Ah, too bad. She recently held a gala to celebrate her birthday as well, though I'm sure it was merely out of habit."

"Well, the new girls tend to cling to the old sentiments," Ingram said, trying to sound cordial and failing. He sounded as if he was trying to keep his voice from shaking.

LaCroix smiled. "Indeed." He glanced at Miss Neubauer who narrowed her eyes to thin slits. "Well. Again, I apologize for not being able to stay longer, but we really must be going."

Ingram nodded. "Yes, the Prince of such a large city _must _be busy." Before LaCroix and I had a chance to leave, Ingram said, "So when will your introduction be, Miss Lucas?"

The question surprised me, but I hoped he hadn't noticed my moment of hesitation. I chuckled. "Oh, I've not been Embraced."

"Perhaps not, but surely that date is coming up soon, is it not?"

I glanced at LaCroix, my eyes screaming "_help!_" LaCroix cleared his throat, covering my hand with his own. "I have no plans of Embracing Natalie at this time."

Ingram's eyes grew wide. "Wait, so you're involved with a _mortal _with no plans of Embracing?" I saw Miss Neubauer cross her arms and sneer.

LaCroix raised an eyebrow. "That _is_ what I just said, yes. Natalie has been a great help to me these past few months. She is my ghoul and has become very dear to me."

Ingram glanced back at Miss Neubauer who rolled her eyes and looked away. He coughed and tried to smile at us. "Well. Will wonders never cease..."

"Perhaps you should stop thinking aloud, Mr. Ingram," LaCroix said, his voice cold.

Ingram coughed again. "My apologies, LaCroix, it's just... Well, I never thought I'd see the day when a _Prince _would lower himself to--"

"_Might _I remind you, Charles, that you are currently in _my _city," LaCroix interrupted, stepping forward and letting go of my hand. In spite of the fact that he and Ingram were of similar height, he seemed to loom over the older looking Kindred. "As long as you are in _my _city, I expect the utmost respect from you _and _from Layla; and I'm afraid I've seen very little of that from either of you. If you would like to voice your opinions regarding how and with whom I choose to spend my time, I would suggest you do it in a more clandestine manner. If you decide that you cannot, you are free to leave this city and not return." Ingram was standing his ground in front of LaCroix, but he was visibly trembling. "Furthermore, do not think that I will overlook your trying to slip into my city unnoticed. I graciously gave you a fortnight to announce yourself, but you instead took advantage of my good graces and refused me one of the oldest courtesies that you know very well is demanded amongst us." LaCroix's voice lowered to just above a whisper as he took one more step towards Ingram. "My eyes are all over this city. Your every move _will _be reported to me. Do not make me use force to get rid of you." He shot his glare towards the woman. "_Either _of you." Turning back to Ingram, LaCroix inclined his head just barely. "I bid you good evening." He then turned around and walked back to me, putting an arm around my shoulders and guiding me out.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: WOW! I woke up this morning and had a TON of reviews. LOL I LOVE it! Keep 'em comin' if you've got something to say, comments OR criticism! I realize that if I make a mistake factually or something like that, I can't go BACK and fix it in most cases; but I DO appreciate being told about it, as it keeps me from repeating the mistake later. So I definitely thank you ALL for taking the time to read and thanks to all those who have the chance to review. (Celeste, yeah, I know I've taken a few liberties with LaCroix, adding some soft spots to him. He's my little ball of clay, LOL. But I'm trying to keep him enough IC to keep him recognizable, I guess would be the right word. ^_^ )**

**On one last note, so we can get to the chapter, I've been rather stupid with my sleep schedule lately and am fighting off a bout of exhaustion/anxiety as a result, so the updates will probably be slowing down a little after this one. I'm not looking at it as a bad thing, though, because it gives me a chance to try to perfect some rough spots I'm coming up with as the plot gets a little deeper. Nothing wrong with being careful to deliver as much of a quality product as I can. ;) Thank you ALL for reading!

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Once we were back in the limo, I let out a breath, feeling as if I'd been holding it the whole confrontation. "Well, that could have gone more smoothly," I remarked.

"Not when dealing with him," LaCroix said, his voice still icy.

I gave him a moment to relax but couldn't see any outward signs that he was beginning to do so. "That woman..." I started.

He sighed, apparently knowing what I was about to ask. "Yes, _that _was the Layla that Miss Xavier had mentioned."

"Did you know she'd be here?"

"I had no way of knowing for certain, but I had my suspicions."

"Sooo, what's the deal between you two?"

"We met through Ingram. She was by my side for at least three years during my time on the east coast." He stared out the window as he spoke.

"So you two _were _an item?" I guessed.

"So she thought," he said in a low voice.

"What happened?"

"Her admiration didn't go unnoticed. I took advantage of that to find out what Ingram was planning since he was her sire. Once Ingram was dealt with, I told Layla to get out of my sight."

I sucked in a breath through clenched teeth. "Harsh, LaCroix."

Finally turning to me, he said, "Don't feel too sorry for her. She was only trying to seduce me to take her own part of _my _triumph."

"She seems to _hate _you, though."

That made him chuckle. "Oh, she does. Her cries of 'jilted lover' rang shrill throughout the entire east coast, and she has a way of making people believe her when she cries. Hence why _I_ am suddenly known to be the cad in the whole affair when, in reality, I barely got out of it with my political career in tact."

"Is that why you moved out to the west?" I asked.

"Partially."

His silence let me know I wasn't getting any more of an answer than that, so I switched gears. "So...how close _were _you two, then?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think that's any of your business?"

Inwardly, I grinned. I'd hit a soft spot. "Just curious. You mentioned she tried to seduce you, and you spent three years with her, so I wonder if you slept with her _in spite_ of everything you've told me about Ventrue not approving of such things. 'Affection becomes lust' or whatever."

His jaw tightened for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "'Affection _must not _become lust,' Miss Lucas. If you are going to quote me, at least do me the favor of doing it properly."

I shrugged. "Sorry. It just seems that your relationship with Layla went against what you've been talking about all along since we started our little game."

He huffed, looking out the window again. After a few moments of silence, he muttered, "Passing on my lessons learned, that's all."

"Your lessons learned _the hard way_?" I stressed. "Meaning, you didn't listen when you were told it the first time?"

A sharp exhalation of air. "Perhaps."

I sat back and crossed my arms, smirking. "So! You _have _been laid in the past century. One would think otherwise by how uptight you always are." I saw his jaw tighten again, so I decided to leave my digging there. I'd plowed a big enough hole into his history and gotten pretty personal really. I was pretty satisfied with myself. I couldn't say it was against his will; he could merely give me a silent treatment if he didn't want to answer me. Or threaten my life.

"A few momentary lapses of judgment," LaCroix muttered. "Besides, our..._trysts _helped me get what information I needed from her. She trusted me. I used her to my own means."

"In more ways than one," I muttered. I wiped the smile off my face damned fast when LaCroix quickly turned to me, snarling.

"What is it with you women anyway?" he spat, making me turn to him with a confused frown. "Kindred or kine, you offer your bodies to get what you want, thinking that males are too stupid and lust-clouded to be cautious around such flirtations. I can't _count _the number of times I've had a female attempt to seduce me for her own gain, always willing to give herself up for a few moments of heated pleasure in exchange for whatever _I_ have that _she _wants. It's insulting and gets rather dull."

I blinked, my jaw slightly slack. "Not _all _women are like that, LaCroix," I said when I finally found my voice.

He scoffed. "You're the first who hasn't tried anything of the sort," he said. "And I'm not entirely certain if that's due to the blood I've given you forcing you to be too loyal to even think it as of yet, or if it's because you've not got the backbone to try it." My fists clenched in my lap as I tried to keep myself from slapping him. What did _I_ do to deserve such an attack all of a sudden? Before I could think of an argument, he took advantage of my speechlessness. "Think about it, Miss Lucas. How many times have I tried to seduce you, make your heart beat a little faster to try to make you lower your guard?"

"You've surprised me a few times with your actions, a little kiss here, a touch there," I shot back, matching his glare.

"Yes, but think back on those occasions. They were for the benefit of someone else, were they not? Someone else's eyes."

"Not after Samantha's party," I said, jabbing a finger at him.

"Perhaps, but I had no ulterior motive for that." He was right there. He hadn't gotten anything more out of it than I had: just making out in the back of the limo. Even then, he'd pretty much said it was for _my_ enjoyment, though I still had a hard time believing that totally. "Answer my question, Miss Lucas. How...many...times?"

I swallowed hard before admitting, "None."

"Exactly." He sat back, crossing his arms. "I've no _need _for such tactics. Which is yet another reason I've wanted so badly to point _you _in the right direction: to prove that you, as a woman, can have a few more tricks up her sleeve besides her breasts."

That made me think. He was right, in a way. Flirting _had _always been a good way to get what I wanted in school, even in past jobs. I glanced down at how I was dressed, with the low-cut blouse, then shook off that thought. I'd not dressed that way due to wanting something, though I wouldn't have turned away a little attention from LaCroix if he saw fit, I realized. But to stay on track, the way I was dressed had no effect on the visit we'd just made. I cleared my throat and got a little more comfortable in my seat. "Truthfully, though, have you had that many opportunities?" I asked, testing new waters. "I mean, most of your business dealings seem to be with males. Even a lot of your meetings with other Kindred are other males."

"Do you _really _think that I haven't had opportunities to try to woo a woman over the past two hundred years?" LaCroix shot back.

I nodded, getting his point. "_Touché_, sir."

"Are you perhaps suggesting that I _should _be using the skill of seduction in my business?" he asked rather pointedly.

I shrugged, not looking him in the eye. "Not necessarily, but it can't really be an _un_useful skill to know, right?"

He laughed bitterly. "So now it's not a matter of whether or not I try to seduce women in business matters, it's whether or not I know _how _to?"

I shook my head. This was going south rather fast. "No, I-"

"Let me enlighten you with something, Miss Lucas, and perhaps you can use this information in the future yourself. You see, all Kindred are taught that one can use speech in at least four _very _interesting ways against both Kindred and kine. Those four particular focuses are these: first, persuasion, to help someone see things the way _you _want them to see things. Second, intimidation, aimed at forcing someone to change their mind in order to avoid their own personal harm, usually. Third, manipulation, usually most useful while bargaining prices or favors. Fourth and finally, seduction, mostly an ultimate form of distraction which bends a person to do your will because they believe they will be receiving some fleshly pleasure in return. As most are willing to do nearly anything for that pleasure, they drop their defenses, allowing the _séducteur _to take advantage as they please. I, personally, prefer using methods of persuasion; but I _have _mastered all four and know how and _when _to use them." He studied me for a couple moments, his gray eyes darting over my face; and I knew he was trying to read my reaction. "Layla's _attempts _at seducing me merely got my attention. She lowered her guard and put her trust in me due to my _own_ seductions on her."

I swallowed hard, his last statement taking my thoughts to places they should not go. "You've made your point," I said finally. "I was merely pointing out that women aren't the only ones who can or _will _use seduction to get what they want and that it _can _be a useful tool when used against the right person." LaCroix leaned back against his seat, glaring out the window at the rain. Meekly, I spoke up again. "You've never used that knowledge against _me_, have you?" I asked, letting him know by my tone that I suspected he hadn't.

He shook his head. "I've had no reason to. After all, you're playing the part of my...girlfriend..." The word seemed hard for him to say. Definitely not a part of his regular vocabulary. "Not someone I'm _still _trying to take to bed."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" I asked, confused.

He chuckled, looking at me like I was an idiot. "Well. You don't _really _think that these characters we play wouldn't be sleeping together if they are so enthralled with one another, do you?"

I felt myself blushing deeply and quickly looked down at my hands in my lap. "I...hadn't really thought about it that deeply," I said. From the corner of my eye, I could see LaCroix tilting his head as he looked at me. He was trying to get a better look at my face, I figured. He could go jump off a cliff for bringing _those _thoughts to my head. _Come on, heart, slow down, he's listening..._ I begged silently.

Finally he laughed softly and sat back. "You're thinking about it _now_, though, aren't you?"

_Fuck you, LaCroix, _I wanted to say_. And not in the way you're putting into my head._ I chose to stay silent. I knew anything I'd say would be used against me. _If _I could get any coherent words out of my mouth.

Another soft laugh, and I felt his arm go around my shoulders. I lifted my chin and looked out the window as if nothing was happening out of the ordinary. _Oh, look...raindrops on the window. How earth-shatteringly interesting,_ I tried to convince myself. I jumped a little when his voice was soft and right outside my ear, his breath cool on my skin. "If I were any mortal, your act _might_ be convincing. But once again, your pulse gives you away as if you were beating on a bass drum."

"You think I don't realize that?" I asked, trying to keep my voice cold.

He just wasn't going to let me stop him there. "I can only _imagine _the thoughts in your head right now," he said just above a whisper as he scooted a little closer to me on the seat, his leg pressing against mine. "Thoughts about you and me, perhaps candlelight, the touches and tastes, little gasps when one stumbles upon a _particularly _sensitive area." His lips were brushing against my ear now, and I couldn't control my shivering. I closed my eyes, trying to will him silently to stop. "Blood, perhaps? Is that in your little fantasy as well? The taste of blood in among the heat of passion? I'll confess: I _have_ been curious as to what the taste of blood would be like when mingled with the salt of a lover's sweat." I bit my lip to keep from whimpering audibly. His hand came to rest lightly on my knee. I reflexively looked at the source of the touch and wished I hadn't when I noticed his thumb was stroking my skin just beneath the hem of my skirt. Just as my brain began to process this bit of information, though, his hand moved, coming up to my face and forcing me to look at him. "Does that even _begin _to describe the thoughts going through your head?" he whispered. I nodded. I could hear my pulse in my head, and I was feeling dizzy looking into his eyes. He began to smile, his expression losing intensity as he sat back. His arm still rested on the back of the seat, but it wasn't weighing heavily on my shoulders anymore. "I don't think you've _ever _been properly seduced before, Miss Lucas," he said nonchalantly.

"What?" I said dumbly as my head began to clear. He looked amused as he tilted his head and studied me, but he stayed silent. I shook my head slowly, still feeling as if I was coming out of a trance. "What did you do to me?" I asked, my tongue feeling thick and slow.

He chuckled. "That, my dear, was the _real _art of seduction. Something to which I doubt a mortal could even _begin _to come close."

I took a deep breath and realized I was still shivering. "You're an evil bastard, you know that?" I said through clenched teeth. He only laughed in reply.

We reached Venture Tower shortly thereafter, and I think LaCroix took too much pleasure in tucking my hand in his arm and looking into my eyes as he did so. He chuckled again as we stepped into the elevator. "What're _you _laughing about?" I grumbled, still feeling the heat in my cheeks.

"I really should do that more often," he said with a light tone. "Revenge for the many times you've been nothing but a frustration to me."

"Don't you fucking dare," I growled through gritted teeth.

He laughed a little louder. "You're mad at me now."

I shook my head. "No, not mad."

"Then what?"

I let out my breath in a quick, irritated exhalation. "You got in my _head_, LaCroix. If that isn't an invasion-"

"I wasn't in your head," he interrupted, pointing a finger at me. "I perhaps put the thoughts there with my words, making you _believe _I was reading what you were thinking; but I was merely making suggestions. If you were picturing such things, it was merely because you were envisioning what I was saying."

My hand was still tucked in his arm, I realized; and I pulled it away, crossing my arms as I stepped a pace away from him. "That doesn't make it any less of a _dick _move," I said, refusing to look at him. "You'd made your point. You didn't have to feel like you had to _prove _yourself or something.

"Why not?" He was chuckling again. "At least now there's no doubt in your mind that I was telling the truth."

I finally shot a glare in his direction. "Why should_ I_ care if you can seduce a woman? It's not as if you would _really _seduce and bed me. It's an _act_, Sebastian, remember?"

There was finally silence, but I could feel his eyes on me for the rest of the elevator ride. When we reached the 55th floor, I stepped out quickly and tried to ignore the fact that I heard his footsteps behind me. As I reached the door to my suite, I spun around and glared at him. "What?"

LaCroix looked at me for a moment, standing at a respectful distance but still within arm's reach. He slowly reached out his hand as if offering it. After I stared at it for a moment, "Your hand, please." I narrowed my eyes suspiciously and crossed my arms again. "Please, Miss Lucas, let me have your hand."

"Why?"

"You'll see."

"Gimme a hint."

He rolled his eyes and raised an eyebrow wordlessly. With a disgusted sigh, I gave him my hand. He gently closed his fingers around mine and softly kissed the back of my hand, coming a step closer as he did. "If I offended you, I do apologize," he said.

I shrugged, looking at our hands. "Didn't offend me," I mumbled. "Just..." Another shrug.

He took another step forward, closing the distance between us. "I embarrassed you, then. Is that it?" I nodded with yet another uncomfortable shrug. "I'm sorry. I had my fun at your expense." His lips touched the back of my hand again, making me look at him. "I beg your pardon for that, Miss Lucas."

I couldn't help but smile. He was acting so sweet all of a sudden. I knew this wasn't really him. He had some reason for doing it; but these moments were so rare, I chose to overlook it and drop my suspicions. "I forgive you," I said.

He smiled, letting go of my hand and instead touching my face gently. His eyes were still on me as he pulled his key card out of his coat and swiped it on the pad next to my door. I heard the door lock click and looked back at it before looking to LaCroix in confusion. He chuckled, showing his card. "Master key," he explained, opening the door and sweeping his arm in front of him in an "after you" gesture. I raised an eyebrow, unsure if I liked LaCroix having a key to my suite. I decided not to put too much thought into it since I couldn't do anything about it.

I walked in, passing close to him as I turned on the lights. When I turned to look at him, he was still in the doorway, a fact which both surprised and relieved me a bit. I didn't know if I could handle having LaCroix in my suite after what he'd just pulled in the limo, even if he _had_ apologized...which he may or may not have been sincere in doing. His eyes swept the room quickly before looking back to me. "How do you like it?" he asked.

"It's...nice. Very elegant and relaxing. I like it." I was telling the truth. My suite was comfortable. I never felt out of place there.

"Good. I'll not be needing you the rest of the night. Feel free to relax." He reached for the handle of the door.

I nodded, walking back to him. "And it's back to the grindstone with you?" I asked.

He nodded. "The city calls, and I must answer."

I bit my lip before slowly sidling up to him and placing a hand on his lapel. "Wish_ I_ could get that much attention from the Prince," I said.

He looked at me with an expression that mixed both surprise and amusement. "Hinting at something, Miss Lucas?"

I shrugged, smiling up at him. "I'm not gonna shake that seduction trick you did too easily. Must still be influencing me."

A slow smile made its way across his lips. "You don't think it's best to save these moments for an audience?" he asked.

Licking my lips, I tugged him down slightly. "_These _moments don't normally get an audience," I pointed out. "It's the _little _tokens of affection that others witness. What I'm hoping for..." Tugging on his coat again, I pulled him down a little more until he was eye to eye with me.

He put his hand over mine, gently extricating his coat from my fingers but keeping my hand in his. "And what _is _it you're hoping for, Miss Lucas?"

"I think you could guess."

He grinned with the same mischievous look I'd seen at Samantha's party. "Indulge me."

I bit my lip in thought for a moment before stepping closer and putting my free hand on his shoulder. "What, do you want me to talk dirty to you, Sebastian?"

He chuckled. "Is that what you're hoping for? Something...dirty, as you put it?" That made me blush. Of course, he noticed and grinned wider. "You've still got some interesting pictures playing in your mind's eye, don't you, Miss Lucas?" he asked, resting his free hand on the small of my back and pressing our bodies together. I nodded, knowing it was useless to hide it. He knew I'd already been thinking along those lines. Chuckling again, he moved so my back was pressed against the door frame. He then reached up and took my hand off his shoulder, lacing our fingers on both hands together before leaning down and kissing me. The kiss was slow and soft at first, but he started coaxing my mouth open with his tongue as his hands let go of mine and traveled up my arms. By the time his hands had reached my face, I was fully pinned against the door frame by his body.

My foot came up to rest against the door frame behind me, allowing my knee to rub against the outside of LaCroix's thigh lightly. His hands were cradling my jaw as he kissed me. He broke the kiss briefly, whispering, "Stay still." I did as he said, steadying myself a little more by putting my arms around him, resting my hands on his back. He kissed me again; but I felt his thumbs pulling my jaw down, making me open my mouth a little more. I gasped when I felt a quick pinch on my lower lip, then my head began to swim a little as he suckled gently on the flesh there. I held him a little more tightly, my heart beating loudly in my ears as it got faster. His tongue lightly swiped my lip, then he pulled back to look at me. It was only when I could see his eyes that I realized I was panting from excitement. He licked his lips as he studied me. "Is that a little more along the lines of what you had in mind?" he asked, his voice slightly breathless as if he'd been just as affected by our kiss.

I nodded slowly, my tongue running across my lip where I'd felt the pinch. There was a slight metallic taste there, like a raw spot that was just finishing healing. "You bit me, didn't you?" I asked quietly.

"I did." He licked his lips again. "Does it bother you?"

I shook my head. "How did I taste?" I couldn't help but ask.

He hesitated. "I rarely have the chance to indulge in such an exquisite flavor," he said softly, brushing my cheekbone with his thumb. My eyes closed with his touch. With him pressed against me, his scent surrounding me and the fast fading effect from his drinking from me, I was in ecstasy. This was how I wanted to be for the rest of my life. While my eyes were closed, he kissed me once more, tenderly this time. "I really should go," he whispered.

I nodded, finally letting go of him, though reluctantly. I realized as I looked up into his eyes when he stepped back that I was a total goner. I'd fallen for him. And this was still a game in his mind. At least, I was pretty sure it was. He definitely enjoyed it, no matter what it was to him; but I doubted it was emotional. And now that he had a taste of my blood, he had a new reason to just keep leading me on. As he smiled and kissed the back of my hand once more before turning towards the elevator, though, I decided I didn't mind being led on as long as it kept culminating to things like this.


	12. Chapter 12

Imagine my surprise when I slept dreamlessly that morning. I awoke somewhere close to 3 PM and lounged in bed for a while, enjoying the warm bed and smooth satin. I finally got up and showered before fixing a quick breakfast and sitting down to check my email. Nothing. I figured LaCroix had been serious about not needing me at all last night. I curled up in a chair I'd arranged to face the window and read for a while, sipping some coffee. The sun was shining on the chair, just as I'd intended when I'd moved the seat to that spot. Bliss.

As night began to fall, I wondered if I should wander upstairs. I knew I just wanted to see LaCroix. After the night before, I couldn't deny the fact that I wanted to be near him. I groaned quietly. This wasn't supposed to happen. And it started before LaCroix's seduction, I knew. It started at Samantha's party. No, before that. I struggled to remember when I'd first thought of LaCroix as attractive and realized I'd thought so the first time I ever laid eyes on him, right after I moved to Santa Monica, in Mercurio's apartment. I sighed, letting my head fall back against the back cushion of the chair. "Unbelievable...I'm a cliché," I said out loud. It was true. I'd always mocked the whole idea of "love at first sight." Now look at me. The quintessential definition of it. However, I wasn't so sure that "love" was the right word. Attraction at first sight, yes. I didn't start feeling so deeply about him until drinking his blood that first time. That night, when I fell asleep on him in the limo, _that _was when I fell for him. Close enough... In spite of my thoughts, I decided to go up anyway. No use in hiding from him just because of the night before.

When I reached the office, it was empty. My next thought was to stop at his chambers on the 56th floor. No, seems too desperate. I tapped a knuckle against my forehead, wondering what exactly he'd done to me. This was just a sad state for me to be in. So...okay, no work to be had. I decided to head out. Somewhere. As I passed the security desk, I couldn't help but stop and ask if LaCroix had already picked up his messages. "Yes, ma'am," the guard answered. "About an hour ago. He left a little bit after that." So. He wasn't even in the building. I nodded and thanked the guard, leaving as well. I decided to go to Mercurio's for a while. We needed to talk. I knew he wasn't going to be happy with what I had to say, but I needed to get it off my chest.

* * *

As always, Mercurio invited me in, giving me a hug before sitting next to me on the couch. I couldn't smile as big as I usually did, and I didn't look him in the eye when we sat next to each other. "What's wrong?" he asked almost instantly. I knew he'd pick up on it.

"I'm gonna say something you're not gonna like."

"What?"

I took a deep breath. "I think I've fallen in love with LaCroix."

He looked at me for a long time before speaking. "How long have you felt like this?"

"Honestly? I figured it was right about when he made me his ghoul."

To my surprise, Mercurio started to smile. "Okay, lemme tell you something, baby girl. You're..._kinda _in love. Probably."

I looked at him, confused. "I don't follow."

"When you drank his blood, you started forming a bond. After your third fix, you were made totally devoted to him. It's some weird, supernatural thing that Kindred got goin' on. All of us long-time ghouls are bound like that to our masters."

I frowned. "I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing."

"Sure we are. Listen, take me for example. I've been around the guy only a few times in person; but because of that bond, I'd die for him. I do what he tells me to do, and I get my blood for it. Works out for everyone."

"But I don't care about the blood so much," I argued.

Mercurio kissed my cheek, chuckling lightly. "Trust me. It's your bond. Or maybe you've got some weird double-whammy thing goin'. The bond _and _you got attached to him emotionally, but I dunno if that's even possible. The way it was explained to me, once you've got that bond, you already love your master as much as you're capable."

"So, you _love _LaCroix then?" I asked, a little smirk on my lips.

He rolled his eyes. "Now, I ain't gonna go dancin' in the streets and lettin' everyone know, if you know what I mean." I laughed. "But yeah, I guess. I mean, if you'd take a bullet for someone in spite of barely knowing 'em and not havin' to be told to do it? I guess that's a kind of love, sure." He checked his watch quickly. "I gotta get outta here, kiddo. Gotta pick up a shipment of stuff before tonight from my contact down the beach a little."

"All right, stay safe," I said, kissing his cheek before I left.

* * *

When I got back to Venture Tower, I grabbed a book and went up to LaCroix's office. He still wasn't there, but I wanted to wait for him to ask him about this "bond" thing. He didn't seem surprised to see me when he finally came in. "Good evening, Miss Lucas," he greeted me as he headed straight for his desk.

"Hey, I wanna ask you something," I said, jumping up off the couch.

"Yes?" He sat at his desk, already beginning to look through the papers that he'd left there.

"Explain this bonding thing to me."

"I assume you're referring to a _blood_ bond." He looked up at me with a raised eyebrow. Folding his hands on the desk top, he asked, "What do you want to know about it?"

"Well...Mercurio was trying to explain it to me earlier..."

"How did _this _subject come up?"

I blushed. "Um...I was...I told him that, uh...I mean..."

"My time is short, Miss Lucas."

I glanced up at him. His expression was a strange mixture of amusement and irritation, and I wondered if he put on the latter to cover the former. "He was telling me that this bond can make a person—a _ghoul_—feel like they love the vampire whose blood they drank."

"Yes, and? I fail to see how the topic came up randomly."

The bastard was going to make me say it, I realized. Taking a deep breath, I said, "I told him that we may have a problem due to my...feelings for you. And then he brought up that it was probably because of the bond."

LaCroix let a small smirk touch his lips. "You feel you're confusing the love invoked by the blood bond for 'true love'?" he asked, emphasizing the last two words of his sentence mockingly.

I blushed more deeply. "I'm just confused because Mercurio said it was more like a family type love, where you'd do anything for the other person; but...that's...kinda different from what I've...you know."

He narrowed his eyes a bit as he looked at me. "Very interesting," he mused.

"What?"

"I've never heard of a ghoul like you, Miss Lucas," he said, flattening his hands on the desk top and leaning forward slightly. "You obey me, but you demand respect while doing so. The bond I have over you is fully complete, and yet you remain an individual. It's fascinating, really."

"You're losing me..." I said. What did he mean complete? Why _wouldn't_ I remain an individual? Didn't I deserve respect? True, I wasn't Kindred, but I was still a living being with intelligence, right? That in itself should say that I deserved a bit of respect, even from someone like LaCroix.

"Drink a Kindred's blood three times, and you are bonded to him in the strongest way anyone could ever be. If you were ever in a position to choose between your own life and mine, you would undoubtedly choose mine."

I blushed lightly. "Who said I needed a blood bond to do that?" I asked quietly.

He chuckled. "All right, let me rephrase that: if you were ever in a position where you had to choose between my life and _Mercurio's_, whose life would you save?"

I opened my mouth and was shocked when I heard my answer. "Yours." I had intended to say Mercurio's. He was family! How... "Oh my god..."

"Believe me, this ruse we've been carrying on would have been much more difficult if you hadn't been fully bound. I had wondered briefly if your suggesting it was only because of your feelings for me. But the fact that you've hidden it for so long is precisely what I mean: you're still stubborn, an individual, able to act out against me in slight ways without even thinking about it. That takes a strong will, indeed." He sat back in his chair, crossing his arms with a smug look on his face.

We stayed in silence for a few minutes while I took it all in. "So...we're bound to each other?" I asked, looking at him.

He shook his head. "You to me, that's all."

"It doesn't go both ways?"

He scoffed. "Not at all. _I_ am Kindred. _You _are kine. You have no power over me."

I frowned. This hardly seemed fair. I walked around his desk slowly, trying to determine if I really wanted to try this. He watched me with slight interest. I reached out and took the Prince's face in my hands, forcing him to look at me. I lowered my lips to his, forcing his mouth open with my tongue. His hand touched my shoulder, and he slowly began to return the kiss. I pulled back, still holding onto him as I looked at him. "Nothing? You feel nothing at all?"

He gently took my hands away from his face and shook his head. "Nothing of what you're looking for." Standing, he clasped his hands behind his back and slowly walked towards the window.

"You lie," I accused, and he stopped. "If you felt nothing, you'd be screaming at me for trying to force something onto you with the intent of showing that I have some control of you. I'd be lucky if I heard the whole tirade with my head still attached."

His head barely turned in my direction. "Hm. Interesting assessment, Miss Lucas."

"Well? Am I wrong?"

"Yes."

"Well, at least _explain _to me what I'm missing!" When he turned to me with that gray glare, I quickly added, "Please..."

"You want to prove that I hold some sort of love for you. Some emotion that you're hoping will show itself when you kiss me, yes?" I shrugged but nodded. "If there's nothing of the sort there, what do you expect me to do?"

"So then why did you let me kiss you without getting upset?"

He smirked again. "I let you kiss me because, frankly, I _do _still enjoy such things." He walked over to me, pulling me against him and kissing me deeply. My arms instantly slipped around his neck, returning the kiss eagerly. When he pulled back, he still held me against him. "I am not entirely numb, Miss Lucas," he whispered. "But do not mistake these physical pleasures for love on my part."

I shook my head. "I don't care." LaCroix smiled slightly, letting me go. I reluctantly took my arms from around his neck to allow him to sit. "What was your meeting today, by the way?" I asked. As long as he was in a mood to answer questions...

He looked up, looking like I'd already startled him out of his thoughts. "A meeting with my court," he said. "State of affairs. Routine." I nodded, walking over to the window for a moment before returning to his desk and sitting on the edge of it, facing him. He raised an eyebrow. "Was there something else, Miss Lucas?"

"Just one more question: if I feel like _this _instead of how other ghouls usually feel, does that mean there's something wrong with me?"

LaCroix chuckled, looking up at me. "Certainly not. I'm not familiar with that sort of emotion being common, but I really don't press into other's affairs with their ghouls. It _was _unexpected. I normally understood the blood bond between Kindred and kine being more of a respect and caring as if they were family. _That's_ truthfully what I was expecting from _you_. Not..._this_...as you so eloquently put it." He began gathering his papers together again, setting back to work.

I blushed but laughed. "Well, you said I was different..."

"Mm, indeed." His voice was distracted.

I hopped off the desk; but before leaving, I leaned down and kissed his cheek. "You really don't mind me kissing you?" I asked.

"When you're not interrupting my work."

I frowned. "Point taken." I straightened and left the office, trying to pretend what he'd said didn't sting.

* * *

Two nights later, I sat in LaCroix's office, reading. He had been gone all evening. I was nearly done with my book, which I'd started when I went upstairs right before sunset; and he still wasn't back. Checking my watch, I saw that it was nearing 4 AM. I frowned, feeling a pang of worry. I wondered if he would have gone somewhere for longer than one night without even a word to me about it. After all, he had no obligation to answer to me or tell me where he was going. Still, it seemed odd.

By the time the sun rose at 6 AM, I was pacing in the office, trying to keep myself from panicking. I called Mercurio on my cell. I don't know what I thought he'd be able to do, but I needed some comfort. Unfortunately, there was none to be had. He wasn't answering. "Oh, what, you _both _leave me?" I said, my breath hitching as the tears finally came. I nearly threw the phone out the window in my desperation but was able to control myself long enough to shove it in my pocket instead before leaving the office.

I went to my suite, sitting on the couch with my knees drawn up to my chest, arms curled around them. The two most important men in my life were missing, and I had no one I could ask about it. I could go to Mercurio's, but I didn't know what that would help. I'd called his cell. No matter where he is, he has it. _Maybe he'd been in the shower or something..._ I thought. _Then why didn't he call back? It's been almost an hour! _I felt exhausted. Among staying up longer than usual, worrying, and crying, my energy was spent. I went into the bedroom and brought the sunshades down over the windows. I was sure I wouldn't be able to sleep, but I climbed under the sheets anyway. Turned out, I was wrong. I slept a dreamless sleep.

* * *

I awoke at 4 PM. The first thing I did was call Mercurio. No answer. I hoped with all my heart that he'd lost his phone, or it was broken. I made plans to head to Santa Monica after showering and dressing. Nothing in my cupboards was appetizing for breakfast. My stomach was too full of fear and worry to even think about forcing myself to eat. Giving up on the breakfast idea, I called for a cab and went downstairs to wait.

On the ride to Santa Monica, I fidgeted nervously. LaCroix's absence could be easily explained. He had something to do out of town. He was staying with a friend who had surprised him. Hell, he could have been sleeping with Samantha, and I wouldn't have cared as long as he was safe. Mercurio, however, wasn't so easily explained away. I hadn't been out of touch with him this completely since we'd met. When the cab dropped me off, I didn't go immediately into the Santa Monica Suites building. Instead, I jogged to the end of the street where the parking lot was. As I glimpsed Mercurio's car, and my heart leaped happily._ Thank god..._ I thought, heading back to the building. I went to the end of the hall and reached up to knock on Mercurio's door, then froze. The door was ajar. Instead of knocking, I gently pushed it open.

Plants knocked over, broken lamps, rumpled rugs, out of place furniture... "Mercurio!" I yelled, scanning the room for him. Something had happened. "Mercurio!" I went into the bedroom. It was more in tact, but no Mercurio. "Don't be kidnapped," I pleaded out loud. "Please don't be kidnapped..." I raced to the other side of the apartment to his dining area and kitchen. Drawers were on the floor, silverware scattered across the linoleum. Broken dishes and glasses littered the floor and table. I had to step over a splintered chair to get to the kitchen. There were some bloody hand prints here, along with smears of blood. "_Mercurio_!" I cried, my voice shrill with fear. Making my way out of the kitchen, I went into the last room I'd yet to look, the bathroom. First thing I saw was Mercurio's body lying in front of the bathtub. There was blood on the bathtub and on the floor around him, though it didn't look puddled as if he'd been shot or stabbed. I rushed to him, dropping to my knees to get a closer look at him. "Mercurio, can you hear me?" I asked softly. No response. My shaking fingers felt his neck for a pulse. It was there, light but still there. I sobbed with relief. I shook his shoulder gently, trying to rouse him.

"Agh!" He cried out, jerking in pain.

"Mercurio! Oh god, what happened?"

"N...Nat?"

"It's me, what happened?"

He groaned. "Little fucker..."

"Who?"

"I dunno. Never seen him before. Definitely vampire." He groaned again, trying to move.

"No, you need to hold still," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

With some effort, he shook his head. "Nah. Nah, gotta...gotta...dammit..." He gritted his teeth as he pushed himself up on one elbow. His head fell back as he panted. "Fuckin' hell...gotta get..."

"LaCroix's gone," I told him, voice shaking. "I can't get you your blood."

He coughed, waving a hand weakly. "I'll live for a bit longer. Let's just hope he—ah...son of a bitch...--let's hope he gets back soon."

"I don't know where he went," I told him. "I just know he wasn't at the tower all night last night."

"He can handle himself," Mercurio grunted, struggling to grab the side of the bathtub. I let him take my arm to sit up. He leaned back against the tub and sighed. When he looked at me, I noticed just how beat up he was. His bottom lip was split open and swollen. Both eyes were badly bruised, his left eye nearly swollen shut. He had cuts all over his face, and dried blood running from his scalp over the left side of his face.

"What happened?" I asked again.

"Vamp fuck knocked at the door. Said he'd been sent by LaCroix to pick up supplies. So I let him in. Nothin' unusual. Next thing I know, he's smackin' me over the head with a lamp. Nearly took me out then and there. We fought, but the fucker was too strong for me. Kept pinnin' me down and trying to drink off me, too. Think he got me a couple times." He groaned and shifted, panting from the pain when he finally stilled. "I finally figured playin' dead was best. He left after that."

I gently stroked his hair. "You should rest. Can I help you to the bedroom or couch or something?"

"Only if you drag me," he said with a weak chuckle. "I ain't gettin' to my feet like this."

I nodded and got up, going into the bedroom. I stripped the bed of its quilt and pillows, bringing them in to the bathroom. I arranged the quilt as a cushion for Mercurio to lie on, the pillows under his head. I sat with him for a few hours, feeling beyond helpless. There was no way of getting to LaCroix before sunset. During my time sitting with him, I couldn't assess if anything was broken; but he assured me he'd be fine, that it was just painful. With how his pulse was so light, though, and the fact that he kept coughing up blood, I couldn't help but worry. I didn't know how much longer the vampire blood in him would keep him together. He needed more desperately. It was the first time I'd ever wished LaCroix had Embraced me. Mercurio refused to let me find another vampire for him to drink from; he was too loyal to LaCroix. Finally, when the sun began to set, I kissed Mercurio on the forehead, saying, "I'm going to see if LaCroix's back. I'll be back as soon as I can. I'll take your car, okay?"

Mercurio nodded, giving my hand a quick squeeze. "L—Love you, Nat," he said weakly.

I felt a lump instantly form in my throat at his words. We never said that to each other. We just knew. "I love you too, grandpa," I choked out, kissing his forehead again. "Hang on..."

* * *

The whole drive back to Venture Tower, I hoped there weren't going to be any cops in my path, watching for speeders. I'd hardly parked the car at the curb before jumping out and running inside. The elevator couldn't be fast enough. I paced the whole ride up, hoping that LaCroix would be in his office finally. The sun had barely set, but I still hoped. When I opened the office doors, LaCroix was there. I nearly began crying again from relief. He had his head in his hands, elbows resting on his desk top. "Thank god you're--" I started to say, but he stood suddenly.

"Out!" he yelled, pointing at the door. "Get _out_!"

"But--"

"_Out!_" He came around the desk and came towards me with long strides. His hair was out of place from his hands, and he wasn't wearing his coat. He took me roughly by the arm and led me to the door.

"Mercurio's _dying_!" I said, beginning to cry now. Everything was falling apart. Mercurio, lying on the bathroom floor, barely breathing. Now LaCroix was looking hardly himself, casting me out of his office.

"What?" he asked, startled.

"He was attacked in his apartment," I explained quickly. "A vampire he didn't know. He's barely got a pulse. He's awake but--"

LaCroix let me go and walked to the couch where he'd discarded his coat. As he put it on, he nodded towards the door, letting me lead the way. We rushed to Mercurio's car and headed down to Santa Monica.

On the drive there, I noticed that LaCroix was leaning against the door, his forehead cradled in his hand. "What's wrong?" I asked softly.

"Just drive."

"But--"

"Not now, Miss Lucas, just drive."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

LaCroix was the first out of the car when we pulled into the parking lot. "Bathroom," I said to him when we got into the building. He nodded without looking at me. I was right on his heels as he knelt next to Mercurio.

"Musta driven like a bat outta hell," Mercurio joked lightly as his eyes focused on LaCroix's face.

"I hadn't noticed," LaCroix answered softly. He bit into his wrist and offered it to Mercurio. I stayed in the doorway, biting my lip nervously as Mercurio drank greedily.

When LaCroix pulled away, Mercurio laid his head against the pillows with a sigh. "Oh yeah...that'll work," he said.

"You don't know who did this?" LaCroix said, his voice serious.

Mercurio shook his head, closing his eyes. "Young kid. Vamp. Eh...dark hair, blue eyes. Taller then me, kinda bulky. Didn't catch a name, just said he worked for you."

"Male?"

Mercurio nodded. "Yeah."

"Did he use any disciplines that you noticed?"

Mercurio paused, his eyebrows knitting together in thought. "Nah...but when I thought I was gonna hide, he knew exactly where to find me. Like he could see through walls."

LaCroix's eyes narrowed. "Possibly an Auspex discipline, then..."

Mercurio grunted as he nodded. "Yeah...maybe..."

"Did he say anything out of the ordinary?"

"Nah. Didn't talk much. Just strong as hell, probably drank some of my blood, too, I dunno."

LaCroix patted Mercurio on the shoulder. "I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, let me and Natalie get you to bed." Mercurio nodded. LaCroix looked at me and pointed to Mercurio's legs. I came in and grabbed hold of his ankles while LaCroix grasped him under the arms. I knew LaCroix could have managed Mercurio on his own, but he may have hurt him worse in the process. Mercurio groaned in pain as we lifted him, but we got him into bed quickly. I ran back to the bathroom and gathered the blanket and pillows to make him comfortable again. When he was finally settled, LaCroix patted his shoulder again. "Get some rest. The blood will do its work."

After Mercurio closed his eyes, I followed LaCroix out to the living room. "_Now _will you tell me what's wrong?" I prodded. He shot me a fierce glare, then sank onto the couch, resting his head in his hands as he'd been doing when I'd found him in his office. I stood over him for a few moments then sat next to him. "What happened?" I asked more gently, touching his arm.

Instead of answering me, LaCroix let his hands fall as he looked at me. "Are you staying here tonight?" he asked, his voice low.

"I probably should, just to make sure he's okay."

He nodded. "Then I should take his keys. I need to get back to the Tower."

"Prince..."

Closing his eyes, he sighed and turned away from me. "Stay with Mercurio. Call a cab tomorrow evening if you want to come back."

"You're not going to tell me _anything_, then?"

"No." He stood, running his hand through his hair and sweeping it back. "Keys."

Automatically, I gave them to him, but I grabbed his hand when he moved to take them from me. "Stay with me?" I asked, a last ditch effort.

The corner of his mouth twitched like he wanted to smile but couldn't. He looked me in the eyes and slowly said, "Stay...here." I nodded, swallowing hard. It was that bond. I couldn't disobey an order. He pulled the keys out of my grasp and left. Alone, I lay down on the couch and closed my eyes, more confused than I'd ever felt.

* * *

Every hour or so, I crept into the bedroom to check on Mercurio. The rest of the time, I focused on cleaning up the mess the fight had left. I had to concentrate on _something_; being alone with my thoughts at that moment was not a good idea. Finally, somewhere around 5 AM, Mercurio opened his eyes and smiled at me when I cracked the door open. "How're you feeling?" I asked softly.

"Better. I can at least move without feelin' like I'm gonna pass out." He turned over with only a slight grimace. "You stay here all night?"

I nodded, coming into the room and sitting on the edge of the bed. "Wanted to be here in case you needed anything or had any problems."

He took my hand and kissed it, giving me another smile. "That's my girl," he said fondly. "What about LaCroix?"

I shook my head. "He left right after you went to sleep. I'll bring your car back tonight, if that's okay."

"Yeah, sure. Whenever." He struggled to sit up, brushing off my attempts to help. "Not like I'm gonna be feelin' up to goin' anywhere tonight."

"I thought you were dead," I said just above a whisper. "I...I didn't know what to think when you wouldn't answer your phone."

"I had to have been layin' there for a while," he said. He gave me a grin and a wink. "'S good to be a ghoul sometimes; though after days like yesterday, makes me wonder if the blood's worth it." I laughed, wiping unshed tears from my eyes. "Hey, help an old man up, honey. I gotta piss like a racehorse."

Laughing again, I let him use my arm for support. "You're not gonna need me for that, are you?"

He shook his head with a chuckle as he got his balance. "Nah. I got it handled once I remember how to walk again." He took a few cautious steps, then shook my hand from his arm. I let him head out on his own, chuckling at his stubbornness. I came by it honestly, at least. A few minutes later, Mercurio came out to sit on the couch with me, moving slowly and gingerly. His wounds were still present, but looked much better. The swelling around his eye had gone down as well. He glanced around at the living room, seeing that I'd cleaned up. "I should have you come around once a week; the place looks great!"

I laughed. "Don't expect it all the time," I warned. "Only reason I keep my own place clean is in case LaCroix forces a surprise inspection or something." Mercurio laughed, but mentioning the Prince's name made me feel a sharp pang of sadness. He'd looked so...lifeless. Defeated. I wanted so badly to be with him, but Mercurio was my highest priority right then. Didn't that go against the supposed bond we had? Oh, right...he'd told me to stay here until the next night. His _orders _were highest priority.

The rest of the day, I took care of Mercurio, happy to see him healing quickly. I took a nap in the afternoon, telling Mercurio to wake me at sunset. Faithful as always, he did so. "Somethin's buggin' you," he said as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

I nodded. "LaCroix was acting weird last night. Something's wrong, but he wouldn't tell me what. He tried to throw me out of his office until I told him what happened to you."

Mercurio frowned. "This was after he'd been missing all day?" I nodded. "Weird. You think you'll be able to find out what it was?"

"I hope so. He's letting me come back tonight."

"He told you to stay here?"

I shook my head. "He asked me if I was going to, and I said yes. I tried to make him tell me what was wrong, but he just made me give him your keys. I asked him to stay, but he said no and that I was to stay until tonight." Quickly, I kissed Mercurio's cheek. "Call me if you need something, okay?" I told him as I headed for the door.

"Same goes for you." I nodded and went outside, dialing the cab company as I went.


	13. Chapter 13

I didn't even stop at my suite for clean clothes. I went straight up to LaCroix's office. Opening the door quietly, I looked in before entering. It took a moment for me to find him; but he was sitting in a chair by the fireplace, staring at the flames. By that fact alone, I knew he was deep in thought. I closed the door behind me silently, not wanting to interrupt any train of thought he might be in the middle of. As I walked further into the office, though, he asked, "How's Mercurio?"

"Healing fast," I answered, walking over to him. "He'll be fine in a day or so." LaCroix nodded, still not turning from the flames. "Do you have any ideas who might have done it?" I asked, getting to my knees next to his chair.

"Not a one," he said quietly.

I sat with him for a long while, just watching the fireplace. His hand reached down and began stroking my hair, making me sigh and close my eyes briefly before looking up at him. He still wasn't looking at me. "What happened?" I asked finally. "Why were you gone for a night?"

His jaw tensed, and I was afraid I'd just set off his anger again. Instead, he just closed his eyes for a moment, leaning his head against the back of the chair. "There's a problem," he said when he opened his eyes.

"What problem?"

"Ingram went to the Ventrue elders about us," he said softly. "They ordered me to appear before them to explain myself as to why I am...courting a mortal with no plans of Embrace."

"Shit," I breathed.

He chuckled under his breath. "I was presented with my options. I can keep going as I am now, but I will subsequently lose my place as Prince and all rights under my clan as I'm blatantly going against standards. Or...I can terminate you from this organization and sever all personal ties to you as well."

I felt a shock like someone had thrown a bucket of ice water over me. "Well...that pretty much makes your choice for you, then, doesn't it?" I said softly, my voice cracking. He was still stroking my hair, but it was doing very little to comfort.

Clearing his throat, he shook his head. "There _is _one other option, but its risk is considerable."

"What kind of risk?"

"If done wrong, I could still lose everything; and you'd be even more permanently affected than you already are."

I shook my head. "It's not worth it, then."

"Oh?"

"You're Ventrue," I said as if my reasoning should be obvious; and really, it should have been. "I can't let you go through that."

He smiled. "You speak of _dignitas _as if I've already taught it to you." Leaning over the arm of the chair, he curled his hand under my chin, making me look up at him. "My third option is the Embrace; but if they refuse you into the clan, I may as well have chosen the first option as Embracing foolishly is just as much an act of defiance."

I shook my head again. "It's too much of a risk for you," I whispered.

"You have no confidence that you could be Ventrue?" My eyes dropped. "I'd already spoken of molding you to your greatest form possible, did I not? You'd be even more effective with Kindred longevity and strengths."

Raising my eyes to his again, I said, "And if I fail, you're banished. I don't know if I could live with that."

"Then _don't_ fail."

"Isn't this exactly what you said Joseph did?" I asked. "Embracing for the wrong reasons? Sentimentality? Because, that's what this is, isn't it? You have no other reason to be concerned for my feelings or the bond I feel."

LaCroix sat back in his chair with a heavy sigh. "That is what has made me give such serious thought to this matter," he admitted. "Yet, I've always had a feeling you'd make a good Ventrue, even before you were fully bonded."

I laughed bitterly. "How? I've always been clumsy and crude and too bold compared to you."

"You have ambition. Spark. And you know when it's appropriate to put your tendencies towards boldness aside in favor of propriety without a stumble. With a little polish, others in the clan would think you'd been Embraced much earlier. Think of Miss Xavier's party. You danced with several other Ventrue there. If they had felt you weren't worthy, they wouldn't have even approached you."

I sighed, looking into the fire. "This isn't my decision to make, Prince, so I don't know why you're trying to convince me," I admitted. "It's yours. Do with me what you will. I'll obey."

His finger touched my cheek gently. "I know you will. I have three days until I have to appear before them again with my decision. I will let you know what that is beforehand."

"You almost sound more loyal to me than your clan," I pointed out, still watching the flames.

"Perhaps sentiment hasn't left me completely untouched."

I smiled and finally looked up at him. "Are you sure? Or is it just a matter of some plan falling apart if you get rid of me? Surely being my mentor and helping me reach great aspirations would look good on your résumé as well."

"Well..." He rose from his chair, offering me his hand. "There may be something else I'd miss."

Taking his hand, I got to my feet, a thrill going through me as he pulled me to him. "Oh?"

He smirked. "Kiss me. Show me how much you love me."

My heart fluttered. This was new. _He _always took the lead. A test of loyalty? No matter whether it was or not, it was an order. I reached up and placed my hand on the back of his neck, pulling his mouth down to mine. As we kissed, my other hand unbuttoned his coat. I needed to be closer to him, even if it was just one layer of fabric less. When the heavy coat was opened, I slid my arm around his waist, feeling him through the thin silk of his dress shirt. He let me go for a brief moment, just long enough to shrug the coat off and let it fall to the floor. I abandoned his lips, kissing back along his jaw and down his neck. My teeth nipped at his skin there as my nails scratched down his back through his shirt, making him moan softly. "I could go on," I murmured against his neck.

Chuckling, he said, "Tempting, but I'll have to decline." I pulled back, confused. I'd thought he was enjoying it... "I need time to think on this," he explained.

I nodded, stepping away from him. "Then I'll leave you to make your decision."

As I reached the door, I heard him call out to me. "Miss Lucas, I had a thought..."

"Yes, my Prince?"

He smirked at my use of his title. In truth, he was not _my _Prince as I wasn't Kindred. However, his influence over me made it feel right on my tongue. "What if we were to make a wager, you and I?"

"What?" I wondered briefly if he'd totally lost it with the stress of the past two days. He's thinking about gambling something _now_? With me?

He sat back in his chair, looking up at me with his fingers laced over his stomach. "If you can find out the identity of Mercurio's attacker within the three days I have to ponder my options, you'll have proven yourself resourceful enough to be Ventrue. If not, you'll be cut loose." He raised an eyebrow as he gauged my reaction.

"_This _is how you make an important decision like this?" I asked, trying to rein in a flash of anger.

"What have you shown me thus far that _really _shows your abilities, Miss Lucas? If anything, you're clever and somewhat fast on your feet; but I'm looking for true competence. If you can find the guilty party among the Kindred of this city in three days, I'll be convinced; and we'll move forward with the Embrace and begin the _Agoge_, your training."

I looked at him in shock for a few moments. "How do you expect me to do that?" I asked, my voice rising. "It's as if you're deliberately setting me up for failure! One minute you're saying you'll miss me, the next you're pushing me out on a wild goose chase to ensure I'll fail!"

"Giving up already, Miss Lucas?" His smirk was infuriating. "It is not an order. It is your choice. If you want to take me up on this wager, feel free. I'll be waiting." He stood, gathering his coat from the floor and putting it back on, buttoning it as he walked to his desk. The fact that he said nothing else and didn't even bother to look up at me again told me I was dismissed. Fuming, I spun and exited the office, making sure to slam the door on my way out.

* * *

"A 'wager'..." I muttered as I stomped into my suite. "Yeah, tell me how you _really _feel, you stuck-up, pompous, arrogant...French..._asshole_!" I shouted at my door. My teeth clenched, I paced back and forth in my living area, hands balled into fists. He treated me like my feelings for him were a _joke_. And _he _was the one to make me feel like that with his fucking _bond_! Right? I had _no_ control anymore! Even as mad as I was, however, I could feel myself becoming melancholy over the possibility of never seeing him again. I had no choice but to play along. My pacing stopped where I was in the middle of the floor, and I sat down cross-legged on the rug. Staring into space, I tried to go over what information we had. Basically, just what Mercurio had said. A little bit of a physical description and that was pretty much it. And, a more important question in my mind, _why_? It was all so random.

So, suspect possibilites... I snorted sardonically. Nearly every fuckin' vampire in town. Without a motive, there was no way of knowing. Okay, let's cut out about half of the vampire population since we know the attacker was male. Still a shitload of Kindred. And dark hair, blue eyes... My mind focused on Nines briefly, but I shook that thought out of my head. True, Mercurio had never met him; but Nines didn't really give the "young kid" impression. With a surprising amount of relief, I counted Nines out of the list of suspects. So who else did I know? Sad thing was, the answer to that question was "hardly anyone."

Getting up, I sighed in frustration. How the hell did LaCroix expect me to do this on my own? I remembered again that smirk he had on his face and gritted my teeth. Maybe he _wanted _me to fail. That way, when he kicked me out, it would be because of _my _failure, not his choice. Pushing the blame to someone else. Saying I brought it on myself. With that thought, I was more determined than ever to find out who had attacked Mercurio. Not because I particularly _wanted _to be Embraced, but so I could shove it in LaCroix's face that I was able to do the apparently impossible. And maybe so he would be proud of me. Gaining a little respect from him _would _feel awfully nice... And then I wouldn't have to worry about being separated from him. _Damned blood bond..._ I thought with little vehemence. Deep down, I wanted to be mad at him for tying me to him mentally and emotionally like that; but I couldn't. He'd given me so much and given me so many chances. In spite of his smug exterior, he really did care. Somewhat. Maybe. Probably. He wanted to mold me to greatness, he'd said. Now, it was getting to the point where that greatness could be being made Ventrue. I found myself smiling. I wanted to make him proud, to see his smile again and feel his hand on my cheek. My smile grew wider as I began to imagine what he might say. Yes, I _had _do this!

First thing, get Mercurio's car back to him. Maybe I could take a look around his place again. I'd cleaned it from top to bottom, but maybe there was something I'd missed? Keys...I needed his keys...and they were... "Fuck," I muttered. Gathering my pride, I headed back up to LaCroix's office.

Business as usual, he was bent over paperwork at his desk. "Mercurio's keys?" I said upon entering.

LaCroix looked up with a frown. "Pardon?"

"Mercurio's keys. You had 'em last. I need to take his car back."

He nodded, leaning back and reaching into the pockets of his coat. He looked confused for an instant, then rolled his eyes. "Ah, yes..." Reaching into his coat, he pulled out his black master key card and handed it to me. "They're somewhere in my quarters. If they're not in the sitting area, they're probably in the bedroom."

"You don't know for sure?"

His eyes narrowed into his cold glare. "Forgive me for being a little...out of sorts last night," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. It was enough to make me feel guilty. He _did _have a hard day previously. And then with having to take care of Mercurio on top of that...

I nodded. "All right, I'll give a look for 'em." With a wave of his hand, LaCroix dismissed me and went back to his work.

Again, I felt a little strange going into the suite on the 56th floor. Especially now when I had to poke around for something. It wasn't as cut and dried as a bottle of blood on a table. I cast my gaze all over the living area, what I supposed he'd called the "sitting area." Nothing caught my eye. As I passed the piano, I couldn't help but let my fingers brush the glossy black surface. I thought with some sadness that there was a good chance I'd never hear him playing it. Forcing those thoughts from my mind, I continued into the dining area, sweeping my eyes over the table. Nothing but an empty vase in the middle. Probably an antique, I figured, moving on. I did a full circle in the kitchen, just in case he'd set them down while wandering for some reason. Nothing. The bedroom door was closed, and my hand hesitated on the handle. It felt like a major intrusion, but he'd _told _me the keys might be in the bedroom. Still...if any part of this suite was his haven, it was this room, the most personal part of it, maybe.

I laughed at myself. This was stupid. It's not as if he was on the other side of the door, asleep or something. Opening the door, I flipped on the lights. The sun-blocking shades were closed on the windows. I figured they were probably never raised for safety's sake. From the doorway, I did a quick sweep of the room and spotted the keys on a nightstand next to the bed. I intended to go in, pick up the keys, turn off the lights, and leave. Instead, I went in, picked up the keys, and sat on the bed, letting my hand slide on the smooth, gray satin. Biting my lip nervously, I leaned down, lying my head on one of the pillows and sighing as LaCroix's scent surrounded me. _I could easily fall asleep here,_ I thought. Then I giggled. _Imagine his face if he walked in at sunrise and found me curled up on his bed!_ Without trying, I got an image in my head of LaCroix curling up behind me, putting an arm around me as I slept. I sighed again and forced myself to sit up, my hand smoothing the pillow cover. Before leaving the room, I straightened the bed covers, fixing the wrinkles my weight had made.

As I left the suite, I made sure the door locked, then headed up to the office one last time for the night. I didn't say anything as I entered, just jangled Mercurio's keys in my hand when LaCroix looked up at me. As I put the key card on the desk, I asked, "Any insights I can take advantage of before I start the hunt?"

He raised an eyebrow, a slow smirk touching his lips. "You're accepting my wager?"

I shrugged. "Hardly have a choice. But yeah. I want to find out who tried to kill my grandfather."

LaCroix smiled a little wider at that. "It amuses me to know that you've already thought of another justification besides our own little...predicament."

"_Your _predicament, LaCroix," I shot back. "I don't have any say in it. Even if I can't find this guy in three days, just because you cut me loose doesn't mean I'll stop looking because I've 'failed' according to your game's rules."

He chuckled and nodded slightly. "Very well. As for any 'insights' I may have, unfortunately, I know nothing more than you."

"Any idea where I might start looking?"

"Leaving my office might be a good start."

I glared at him. "I appreciate your sage advice," I said sarcastically. "Care to get more specific?"

His smile was fading as he rose from his chair, flattening his hands on the desk and leaning over it. "No. I don't."

"Because you don't know?"

"How much time are you going to waste in trying to irritate me, Miss Lucas?"

"How much time ya got? This three day limit is _your _limit, remember? Nothin' says I gotta stop after that if I haven't found him."

Our glares bounced back and forth between us wordlessly for several moments. Finally, LaCroix sat back down, making a small sound of disgust. "You may try the nightclubs or other gathering places of young kine and Kindred," he said, tapping a pile of paper against the desk top. "It's possible that, if this Kindred has a youthful appearance, he will choose to blend in with others who look similar in age."

I nodded slowly, seeing his logic. "Excellent. Thanks." I didn't wait for him to say more; I had a feeling he wouldn't. Twirling Mercurio's keyring on my finger, I left Venture Tower and headed to Santa Monica.

* * *

When I got to Mercurio's apartment, I tapped on the door as I unlocked it with his keys. "You home?" I called as I opened it.

"Yeah," I heard him call from another room. Letting myself in and closing the door behind me, I saw him come out of the bedroom with a smile. He already looked much better, nearly fully healed.

"So you're not gonna believe what I'm up to," I said with a chuckle as I handed him the keyring.

"Whassat?"

"Tracking down who beat the shit outta you."

He gave me a disapproving look. "You don't gotta do that, Nat. That's a little too dangerous."

I shrugged. "Don't really have a choice if I wanna stay at LaCroix's."

Sitting on the couch, Mercurio frowned. "What're you talkin' about?"

"If I find the guy in three days, I get Embraced. If--"

"Whoa, _what_? He's---you--"

I chuckled at his speechlessness. "Yeah. Basically, he's in trouble with the bigwig Ventrues. It's either Embrace me or get rid of me. But he needs me to prove myself before Embracing. So..." I shrugged.

Mercurio blinked, confused. "So...you don't want him gettin' rid of you because of how you feel about him, I guess?"

Rolling my eyes, I nodded. "Like I said. I don't have much choice. Anyway, while I'm here, is it okay if I take another quick look around? Might catch some clue I missed when cleaning up."

He shrugged. "Feel free. Don't know what you're gonna find, though."

"Probably nothing," I said, getting on my hands and knees and looking under a table. "But I gotta look at least, you know?" I swept my hand over the rug and felt something roll under my fingers that I hadn't noticed due to the shadows. Picking it up, I crawled out from under the table and looked at it. A man's ring, silver with blue jewel in the center. There were teardrop shaped cutouts in the silver, the sharp tip of the shape pointed away from the jewel on either side. There were no engravings or other designs that I could see. Simple yet elegant. "Hey...did you lose this?" I asked, getting up and showing it to Mercurio.

He studied it for a moment before giving it back. "Never saw it before."

A grin began to spread over my face. "I may have found my first clue."

"Yeah, maybe, but be careful who you ask about it," he warned. "You ask the wrong person, and you might not make it out alive."

"Yeah, yeah, I know; but I've gotta ask _someone _about it."

"Might wanna take a trip out to Hollywood. Talk to Issac Abrams. He's the anarch Baron out there, but he's also got a jewelry shop, and he's been around for a while. Might be able to give you some insight on it."

"Right." I tucked the ring in my pocket and spent a little more time looking around Mercurio's apartment, coming up with nothing.

"Hey, Nat..."

"Yeah?" I poked my head out of the kitchen into the living room where Mercurio was sitting.

"I just had a thought. Lemme pass it by you real quick."

Frowning, I came out and leaned against the door frame. "I'm listening."

"What if _I _was the one hit 'cause they were tryin' to get at _you_?"

Crossing my arms, I looked at the floor to think that one over, then shook my head. "Doesn't make sense. I'm no one important."

"To the public, you're a _real _important person. You're the Prince's girl." I bit my lip in thought, seeing the truth in that. Mercurio got up from the couch and came closer to me. "He have any old girlfriends that you know of?"

Nodding slowly, I said, "Yeah. At least one."

"Might wanna check her out a bit."

"I wouldn't even begin to know how," I said with a sigh. "When I met her, it wasn't exactly a friendly visit. Ended with LaCroix threatening her and her sire before we left."

Mercurio sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "You said he was in trouble because of you. Maybe an old friend of his is tryin' to scare you off to get him _out _of trouble?"

I shrugged. "I don't know..."

"Hey, I'm just throwin' out suggestions. Having a couple ideas is better than everyone in town bein' a suspect, right?" He smiled at me, and I could tell he was trying to make me feel better. Nodding, I put on a smile for him. The whole thing was really just getting more complicated, but at least I had the ring and someone to ask about it. Whether or not Abrams would be able to tell me anything was another thing altogether. As he looked at me, Mercurio's smile faded. "You're really okay with being Embraced?"

Sighing, I hugged him. "I don't know. I mean, like I said, I don't have much choice. It's a little scary, but he has faith in me. If I can do this, it'll be smooth sailin'."

Mercurio stroked my hair, kissing my temple. "And that's what matters to ya, huh...makin' him proud of you..." I pulled back and looked at him. He smiled. "If anyone's got it in 'em to survive with those blood-suckers, it's you," he told me, making me grin and hug him again.


	14. Chapter 14

I took a cab to Hollywood, putting the fare on LaCroix's tab. I figured if he was going to send me on a nearly impossible mission, the least he could do was pay my expenses. When I was dropped off, I saw the name of the shop was Abrams Golden Age Jewelry. I'd asked to be taken to Issac Abrams's jewelry shop. _Thank god for Kindred cabbies..._ The hours on the door said that the shop had closed at 7 PM. Being just after midnight, I wondered if there was another way in or if Abrams was even there. I tried knocking on the front door, but I felt like an idiot just standing and waiting for someone to open it. After a few seconds, I decided to try going around. Maybe there was a back door or something.

I found, not a back door, but a side door. Close enough. The doorway was well lit, so I didn't feel as if I had to be looking over my shoulder the whole time I waited for my knock to be answered. A loud buzz next to me made me jump. It had come from a speaker I'd previously overlooked next to the door. A tinny male voice came from it. "Yes?"

Not seeing any button for me to answer back, I just got a little closer to the speaker and hoped it doubled as a microphone. "My name's Natalie Lucas. I'm here to see Mr. Abrams."

A pause. Then, "Come in." I heard a click come from the door, and the speaker went off. Reaching out cautiously, I turned the knob on the door and entered. It seemed to be the entrance into a back office of the store. An older-looking man whom I assumed to be Abrams stood next to a desk, inspecting me curiously. "Natalie Lucas...you wouldn't happen to be coming from downtown, would you?" As he spoke, he came around the desk to shake my hand.

I smiled. "I am, yes."

He grinned. "Ah, the _infamous _Miss Lucas, lover to Prince LaCroix, then? How interesting that you would be coming to see me out of the blue..."

"I _am _sorry to come by unexpectedly, Baron," I said, bowing my head to him in respect. After all, here, he held essentially the same position as LaCroix, even if it was for the "other side."

"Not a problem at all, Miss Lucas. I see _some _of LaCroix's people still have some idea of respect." He chuckled and walked back to his desk, sitting down and gesturing to a chair. As I sat, he folded his hands on the desk and leaned towards me, asking, "What can I do for you?"

Reaching into my pocket, I got out the ring and placed it on the desk. "I know this is probably a dead end for me, but I was hoping you might have some insight about this ring," I explained. "I'm...not quite sure what to hope for. Maybe an approximate time frame of origin or _place _of origin... I'm afraid it might be too common, but Mercurio in Santa Monica suggested I come by and ask you to use your expertise. If you'd be so kind, that is."

Abrams picked up the ring and looked at it for a moment. "Ah, Mercurio. Probably one of my best referrers," he said with a chuckle. "I've tried to convince him to move this way many times, but I suppose his loyalties are fairly decided for him." I smiled a thin lipped smile, staying silent as he picked up a magnifying eyepiece to look more closely at the ring. After a few moments of my watching him turn the ring this way and that, he put it down and slid it back to me. "I'm afraid there's very little to be said about it," he told me. "It's excellent quality, no doubt about that. It seems that there may be quite some age to it, but I wouldn't be able to determine just how much. The marks of wear around the bottom of the ring may be from age or from the wearer using his hands in hard work. Other than that, without engravings or other markings, there's nothing remarkable about it." I nodded, picking up the ring and putting it back in my pocket. When I looked back up, Abrams was studying me again. "What led to your curiosity about this particular ring?"

I shrugged with a smile. "I found it. I had hoped to find something out more than what I can see myself so I might be able to put an ad in the paper to try to find its owner."

A corner of Abrams's mouth went up in a half-smile. "And you came all the way out here for that..."

Forcing the smile to stay on my face, I rose from my chair. "I know Mercurio would have only suggested the best," I complimented. "If you'll excuse me, I must be getting back."

Abrams put on a more sincere smile as he rose as well. "Of course. Good luck with finding the owner," he said as he escorted me to the door. "Give Mercurio my regards." He gave me a wink; and with that, the door was shut behind me. I felt like I was right back where I'd started. One thing was certain: this ring wasn't going to help me much. The only other angle I had was trying to figure out if Layla might have sent someone to get a message to me by way of killing Mercurio. Not a pleasant thought. I couldn't go alone up to the house where she and Ingram were staying, could I? I shook my head as I walked back to the main street. Definitely not. Not after how our visit had ended.

I considered my options. LaCroix had suggested going to a club or somewhere where a young-looking Kindred could blend in. Where could I start there? After all, how many clubs _were _there in the Los Angeles area? I knew of The Asylum in Santa Monica and Confession downtown...there _had _to be others, which was a sobering thought. I didn't have time to go to each and every club, merely chancing that a person matching the extremely vague physical description I had would show up. Feeling a little defeated, I decided to wander down the street to try to clear my head. Pounding music wafting out of a building told me I was in front of a club called the Asp Hole. I shrugged and went in. _Might as well start here._

The music assaulted me as I entered the club, but I welcomed it. I needed to relax, and this was my element. After glancing around at the interior, I walked up to the bar in the center of the club, ordering a Long Island iced tea, telling the bartender to make it sweet and strong. Waiting for my drink, I looked around. I was surprised how easily I could spot the Kindred among the kine. The Kindred all had a certain look to them, a way of moving, an expression that told anyone with half a mind to look for it that they were a predator looking for their next meal. That fact alone made me relax a little. It made my job easier.

When the bartender set my drink in front of me, I paid her and picked it up, taking it to a table in the corner. I spotted a young man who was flirting with a girl. The man was Kindred, that was obvious to me. Brujah, if I had to guess. Bulky, cocky smile, and sharp fangs that glinted in the dim lights when he grinned. Seeing that made me tense up. The idiot must have been recently Embraced to be showing off his teeth like that. The girl was so drunk, though, she didn't seem to notice. He threw an arm around her shoulder, leading her into a booth near my table. I watched as he kissed her, burying his fingers in her hair and pulling her head back roughly so he could plunge his fangs into her flesh. To anyone else, they would have just been necking in a shadowy booth. I watched him closely to make sure he didn't kill her. When he brought his head up, her eyelids fluttered, then opened, though they drooped heavily. I knew how this night would end for her: she'd be sent home in a cab with the excuse that she had a few too many drinks, and she'd hardly remember any of it in the morning if any at all. The man was licking blood off his lips when his eyes met mine. I smiled at him slightly, trying to wordlessly convey that I wasn't going to freak out or expose him. In response, he bared his fangs, an unspoken warning. I laughed and took a drink, casting my gaze elsewhere. When I glanced back to where I'd seen the man, he was gone; and the girl was slumped over the table, asleep.

Growing bored, I looked around a little more, spotting a dimly lit upstairs section I hadn't noticed before. There didn't seem to be many people up there, making me wonder if it was a VIP area. I got up and wandered over to that side of the club, finding a staircase. No barriers or bouncers to be seen; so I slipped upstairs, acting as if I had every reason in the world to be there. The décor was a little richer here, more booths. There was a crowd of women grouped together by the edge of the balcony. Friends, I figured, until I realized they were crowded around one person. A male. I took a big gulp of my drink when I recognized him. _Ash Rivers? Here? Jesus, what the fuck is __**he**__ doing here?_ I edged a little closer, trying to make my heart calm down. Ash Rivers had been one of my biggest movie star crushes before moving to California and getting too caught up in all this shit to concentrate on mundane things like movies and celebrities anymore. As I took another step towards the group and was just barely able to confirm that it was him, there was a hand on my arm, dragging me away.

"What're _you _doing here?" I looked up at the man who'd pulled me to the corner, startled at first, then sighing with relief.

"I could ask you the same thing, Skelter," I said with a smirk. I took one last sip of my drink, leaving the glass on a nearby table.

The dark-skinned anarch narrowed his eyes at me and crossed his muscular arms. "Cammies don't come through here without having some sort of reason," he said in a low, threatening tone.

I put up both hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, cool it, okay? I came down here to ask Abrams about something, and then came in here for a drink. No Camarilla business, no business for LaCroix. Just personal stuff."

Skelter raised his head. The movement made me think he didn't trust me. "What kind of personal stuff?"

I had to think quickly. Did I want him to see the ring? Granted, he'd been an acquaintance back when I'd hung around The Last Round for a bit; but it still didn't change the fact that he was an anarch. I didn't know how much I really wanted them to know. Abrams was enough. But...there didn't seem to be any other excuse. I pulled the ring out and gave it to him. "Found it. I was told Abrams might be able to tell me something about it so I can try to track down the owner. Looks expensive, so..." I shrugged, leaving my sentence unfinished. Skelter looked at the ring, squinting at it and frowning. I risked asking, "Know anything about it? Whose it is?"

He shook his head, handing it back to me. "Never seen it before. Nothin' special."

I shrugged, tucking it back into my pocket. "Just wanted to check." I glanced back at the gaggle of females surrounding Ash, then looked up at Skelter. "What're you doing on this side of town, anyway?"

He gave me a short glare, then nodded towards Ash. "Bodyguard duty. Issac's afraid someone's after Ash."

"Issac? Abrams?" Skelter nodded. "Why would he care? Watching out for the celebrities of his barony?"

Skelter scoffed. "Ash is Abrams's childe, girl," he said as if I was the only one in the world who didn't know. Maybe I was. "He's gotten wind of hunters getting into Hollywood."

"Wait...Ash Rivers is..." I stifled myself before I blurted out the word _Kindred_. Skelter just nodded. "For how long?"

"Since he stopped makin' movies," he said, again in that condescending tone.

I could see I was quickly wearing out my welcome. It saddened me, honestly. Like I said earlier, Skelter and I used to get along. Now? I was just another Cammy ghoul to him. So, instead of trying to carry on more of a conversation, I nodded and said, "Good to see you, man. Tell the others I say hi."

He gave me a suspicious look before nodding and turning his attention back to Ash. I glanced one last time at the former movie star before heading out of the club.

* * *

On the cab ride back to downtown, I stared blankly out the window, thinking over my next move. Halfway there, I asked the driver to head towards Santa Monica instead. I saw him glance at me in the rearview mirror, then shrug. More instructions to put the fare on LaCroix's tab, and I made my way to The Asylum. It made sense that the attacker would party here if he was from Santa Monica...unless he _wasn't_ from Santa Monica. One theory at a time. Besides, Therese Voerman was of Camarilla loyalties. I could talk to her a little more in depth about it, I hoped.

As usual, I glanced around the club when I went in, getting a feel for my surroundings. I was also on the lookout for Jeanette. I didn't particularly want to run into her at this point; I didn't have time for distractions. I leaned on the bar until the bartender noticed me and came over. "What can I getcha?" he asked.

"Upstairs," I said with a grin. "I'm here to talk to Therese."

"She expecting you?"

"Uh...no." I bit my lip and looked up at him through my eyelashes. "I have a little problem. I was hoping Therese could help me out, but I didn't have time to call ahead. Do you think it'd be okay? Just this once?"

"I dunno..."

"Please?" I batted my lashes at him. The age-old flirtation technique.

He smiled. "All right, go on up. Therese doesn't have any meetings tonight anyway, so it should be okay."

"Thanks, hon," I said with a wink, walking over to the elevator that went up to the private office. Once in the elevator, my brain brought up a memory of something LaCroix had once said. _...you, as a woman, can have a few more tricks up her sleeve besides her breasts..._ I pouted, feeling like he'd just scolded me without even being present or aware of what I was doing. Yeah, I'd used my womanly charms to get what I wanted. So what? It worked, right? Still, in the back of my mind, I promised myself to try to find another way next time.

Once on the second floor, I knocked on the door to Therese's office. "Come in," came the answer.

As I entered the office, I put on a smile. "Miss Voerman, I don't know if you remember me." Rising from her desk, the woman looked at me through slitted eyes. The expression made me falter a little. "Uh...I...I was going to begin working for you a few months back? Natalie Lucas?"

"Oh, yes, of course!" she said, coming around the desk to shake my hand. "Miss Lucas, how good it is to see you. Please, come in, sit." Accepting her invitation, I was glad to find that she wasn't sore at me for up and abandoning the job. She'd hired me right before I became LaCroix's ghoul, forcing me to move downtown. "How can I help you?" she asked, sitting at her desk after I'd taken my own seat.

"Well, first, I must tell you that I'm here on a bit of...sensitive business."

"Oh?"

"Yes. So, I trust that nothing discussed here will pass beyond this room, Miss Voerman?"

Therese's expression clouded. "Of course. I hope you don't think me one for petty gossip," she said in an icy tone.

I gave her a small smile. "Definitely not. It's merely that...well, I'm sure you're familiar with Mercurio, yes?"

Therese gave a short nod. "We've met."

"Someone made an attempt on his life two nights ago."

"Oh my," Therese said, leaning forward on the desk. "Is he all right?"

"Yes, he's fine. However, all we know is that his attacker was Kindred and seems to have left _this _behind." I pulled out the ring and gave it to Therese. "I'm taking steps to find out who this attacker was and what the motive was so the Camarilla can deal with the problem appropriately. Obviously, if you've seen this ring before or know to whom it might belong, any information would be appreciated."

Frowning, Therese studied the ring. "No, I've never seen it that I can recall." Handing it back to me, she asked, "Are you asking everyone in the area?"

I shrugged. "Not _everyone_. As I said, I'm trying to preserve discretion while looking into this. The only other information we have is that the Kindred we're looking for is a young male, dark hair, blue eyes; but I'm fully aware of how many people that can describe..." Therese nodded. I hesitated for a moment, then suggested, "Do you think it would be worth my while to ask your sister?"

Therese's eyes flashed angrily, then she sighed. "Perhaps," she admitted. "She might be familiar with someone who fits that description."

"Do you know where I might find her?"

"She's out for the moment. If you come back tomorrow night, she may be here."

I bit my lip. I didn't want to wait until the next night, but if I had to... Nodding, I got up. "Thank you for your time, Miss Voerman. I appreciate your speaking with me."

"Of course, no trouble at all. Please, let Mercurio and the Prince know that I'm at their service if I can be of any more help."

As I left the club, I found it was a little after 3 AM. I had a few more hours until sunrise to ask around, but I was starting to realize how stupid it looked to go around asking about a nondescript ring. There could be a million like it in the world, but it was my one clue. Again dejected, I took a cab back to downtown, asking to be dropped off outside Venture Tower. I was getting tired, and the whole thing seemed pretty hopeless. Of course, this had also just been dropped in my lap. I figured that, maybe after some sleep, something might come to me. Hopefully...

* * *

_My heart is still. I forget to breathe. I drink, the only thing that brings warmth to my body. The thick vitae drips from my fangs as I tip my head back in ecstasy. While my eyes are closed, his lips take mine, his tongue stealing the sweet blood from mine. His kiss is better than the kine's blood. I gasp into the kiss as my heart thumps once, a struggle to live again. He's the only one who makes me feel alive. I'm in love, and he uses me. As long as he keeps kissing me..._

_He leaves me. I'm cold. I look for him and see only death. My fate. Wetness runs from my eyes down my cheeks. But...I can't cry, I'd thought. My hand touches the wetness; and I look at my fingers. Bloody tears._

_But my heart beats. I call for him, but I know he won't answer. I am alone. I am alive. And I want nothing more than to die. As long as he'll kiss me again. It's so cold._

* * *

I woke from the dream with a gasp, then a sob. I was crying in my sleep. No matter how much I told myself that I wasn't trying to find Mercurio's attacker because of LaCroix's little wager, I had to admit it was a lie. I _had _to succeed. I _needed _the Embrace to stay with him. I shivered, remembering the lonely cold of the dream. I had no choice.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I took a shaky, deep breath. A look at the clock told me I'd slept through the day somehow. Sunset was coming soon, and I had to set out on another night of hunting. To prepare, I took a long, hot shower to relax and chase away the dream's chill. It mostly worked. I still felt heavy, though. Weighed down by this task that seemed impossible. The night hadn't brought any epiphany besides the one telling me that I _needed _to figure this out. _This is the second night,_ I thought as I pulled on some clothes. A sleeveless red blouse, low-cut, short to show the midriff. Dark, tight jeans. Heeled boots. _Tomorrow will be my last chance if I come up empty tonight._

When I went down to the lobby of the tower, I happened to bump into LaCroix. As usual, he was only there to check his messages. When he saw me, however, he beckoned me aside. "Find anything?" he asked in a low voice.

I shrugged and showed him the ring. "Just this. It was at Mercurio's, under a table. He'd never seen it before, so it probably belongs to the guy I'm lookin' for." LaCroix narrowed his eyes as he studied it, turning it over and over in his hands. Putting my hands in my pockets, I went on, "So far, no one recognizes it. Issac Abrams said there's nothing special about it to determine its origin."

LaCroix raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "You went to Abrams with this?"

"I didn't tell him why. I just said I'd found it and was curious about it. Mercurio suggested asking him about it."

"Hm."

"Oh, and I've been putting my cab fare on your tab."

He glanced up at me again. "To be expected." He frowned at the ring once more before giving it back. "No other leads then." It wasn't a question.

I shook my head. "No. And I take it you don't recognize it either?"

"No."

"Yeah, didn't expect you to." I put the ring back in my pocket and sighed. "Well, I should go. Gonna try hitting up Confession tonight to see if I can spot anyone there that looks like who we're looking for."

"Taking my advice?" The corners of his mouth were twitching slightly.

"You know, you _can _go ahead and smile when you're being smug with me," I told him, crossing my arms and letting my stance show my annoyance. "And yes, I am. I already tried the Asp Hole in Hollywood. Nothin' there. Besides, it's not as if _I've _had any better ideas of where to look."

"This is a test of _your _abilities," he reminded me, going through the messages he'd collected from the desk.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You wouldn't tell me who it was if you knew just so I'd have to figure it out. I know that." LaCroix smirked at me and turned to walk to the elevator. I went after him, making him stop by putting a hand on his arm. "One thing," I said with a grin on my face. I twirled around once. "How do I look?"

He raised his eyebrow at me, but seemed amused. "You'll blend in," was his answer before he turned and entered the elevator that had just arrived. His answer disappointed me a bit, but I shrugged it off and left the tower.

On my way to the club, I tried to figure out how I was going to play this. I couldn't very well just sit back, relax with a drink, and crowd watch all night. Hell, I didn't even know if the guy I was looking for would even go to clubs. It was just working off LaCroix's suggestion from the night before. As I reached Confession, I decided I'd spend no more than two hours there, then move on somewhere else. Within that two hours, I'd decide where to go from there. Entering the gate that led to the club's courtyard, I brushed shoulders with a man on his way out. "Oh, sorry," he said, making me look up at him.

He was kinda cute, and the fact that he stopped made me wonder if he thought the same about me. "'S all right," I said with a grin. "I think they made the gate small just for that to happen."

We both laughed. "In this case, I don't mind much," he said with a wink.

His little flirt made me laugh again. "I'm Nat," I told him with a smile.

"Blake."

"You come here very often?" I asked him, using an ancient line. I realized I was starting to check him out. He was kinda tall, broad shouldered. His eyes crinkled charmingly when he smiled. In the waning light, I couldn't tell what color they were, though. His hair was cut short and messy, as if he'd just gotten out of bed; I couldn't tell if it was dark blond or light brown. As I said earlier, though, he was kinda cute.

"Not so far," he answered. "I'm kinda new around here, though..." He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Just thought it might be a place where I could get a drink before studying the rest of the damned night."

"Oh, are you in school?"

His eyes darted away for an instant. "Uh...yeah. Trade school."

"Nice! What are you studying?"

My questions seemed to be making him uncomfortable. "Just...kinda specialized stuff. I doubt you'd know what I was talking about." He laughed lightly.

I nodded. "Oh, okay. Where'd you move from?"

"Flori—well...I _grew up_ in Florida, but I came here from Vegas."

Nodding again, I smiled. Something in the back of my mind was making me feel uneasy, especially after that answer. "I should probably let you get to your studies," I said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess." He chuckled and waved before walking off. It took a moment for me to decide to do so, but I followed him.

The time it took for me to make my decision left a little bit of a distance between us. I was, however, wishing I hadn't worn a red top. If he looked behind him, he'd be able to spot me in an instant. Still, though, something didn't feel right about this guy. He had dark hair...he looked kinda young... I couldn't tell if he was Kindred, though. In Hollywood, I'd been able to pick out Kindred amongst kine so easily. Here, not so much. Aside from the fact that he wasn't in the middle of a crowd, he didn't seem to have the same meaningful glance or stride the way the Hollywood Kindred had. _He was coming out of the club,_ I reminded myself. _If he's Kindred, that might mean he'd already fed._

Blake ducked down an alley, and I briefly wondered if he was trying to lose me. I shook my head, denying my paranoia and quickening my steps. He'd made it halfway down the alley when I caught sight of him again. His clothes, dark blue shirt and jeans, melded with the shadows a little too well; and I again became conscious of the bright colored blouse I'd chosen. When he emerged from the alley, he took a left. I hurried after him and thought I'd lost him when I left the alley. Turning left as he had, though, I caught sight of him again as he entered a building. It was just an ordinary building, no signs, no fancy lights, painted green. Looking up at the higher floors of the building, I noticed a purplish, eerie glow emanating from one of the top windows. It didn't look like a light shining inside. The glow was too...tangible. As if it was a cloud of color coming from that floor. I glanced around at my surroundings and turned around, taking off in a run. I needed to talk to LaCroix. My gut was trying to tell me something.

* * *

I burst into LaCroix's office more loudly than I'd meant to, earning myself a deep frown from him. Without greeting, I said, "There's a place a little ways down the street. Green building or house or something. It has this purple glow coming out of the top floor. What the hell is that?"

LaCroix gave me a look like I was crazy, then went back to his paperwork. "You seem to be describing the Tremere chantry."

My mind whirled._ Why didn't I show Blake the ring? If he's our guy..._ I thought, then shook my head. _If he's our guy and he knew I had the ring, he probably would have tried to kill me on the spot. Fuck! Does he know who I am? I introduced myself only as Nat, but it seems like every Kindred knows me here! Shit, this-_

"Why do you ask?" LaCroix's voice broke into my thoughts.

"I ran into this guy that just gave me a weird feeling while I was talking to him. Didn't really want to answer normal questions. When he left, I followed him; and he went in there," I explained, talking fast. Adrenaline was still pumping through my system from my run. LaCroix sat back, eyes narrowed to thin slits. I could tell he wasn't looking at me; he was processing the information I'd just given him. I added, "He looked pretty young, kinda tall, darkish hair, couldn't tell if his eyes were blue or not..."

"Are you implying that you think this young man is the one for whom you've been looking?" LaCroix asked, finally directing his gaze at me again.

"I don't know; but like I said, he gave me this weird feeling."

He scoffed. "If he was going in there, he's Tremere. That alone tends to give people a 'weird feeling.'" Rising from his chair, he folded his hands behind his back and slowly walked to the window. "What are you going to do next?" he asked, looking at me over his shoulder.

I sighed. "I'm not sure. I mean, I want to find out more about this guy, but I don't know how. From what he told me, he spends all his time studying."

"Hm. He must be the one the Regent had told us about," LaCroix mused.

I thought back to when I'd met Maximilian Strauss in LaCroix's office. He'd mentioned the young man that he'd taken in, badly injured. He'd also mentioned that the new Tremere had said something about coming from Las Vegas. "You're right," I said. "He told me he'd come here from Vegas, just like the Regent said. But this guy also said he was born in Florida."

LaCroix waved that bit of information away. "Inconsequential," he grumbled. "What reason do you have to believe _he_ is the attacker?"

I shrugged. "Nothing, really. Like I said, I just got a bad feeling about him."

The Prince turned to me, still frowning slightly. "Then you have more research to do, it seems."

"Yeah, I guess so..." Standing a little straighter, I said, "But really, I just wanted to find out what that place was. So, thank you. I'll leave you to your work."

As I turned to leave, LaCroix's voice stopped me. "Miss Lucas."

"Yeah?"

He walked back to his desk but didn't sit immediately, instead resting his fingertips on the glossy desk top. "However you decide to proceed, try to prevent the Regent from being aware of your suspicions."

"You don't think that _he's_ behind this, do you?"

LaCroix shook his head. "No. Definitely not. But he's also rather fond of new apprentices, and I don't want him to convince you away from any investigation you may take up. Especially not on such a short time frame."

I nodded, already beginning a new plan in my head. "I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

**A/N: So, I only NOW found out that FFNet apparently ate the end of this chapter. So yay, easter egg? Or...something... *facepalm***


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Holy long chapter, Batman! Ah, but it's kinda necessary here. I didn't want to break it up. Besides, it'll give you all something to (hopefully) tide you over for a little while. I just landed a new job that'll be taking up my mornings/afternoons, so chapters will probably come a little slower than they've already been.**

**And before the questions come in, yes, I know this chapter may leave some readers scratching their heads as to why I did a couple things in particular. All will be explained in time... Have faith in me. ;)**

**As always, thanks so much for reading! I've had a blast seeing what you guys have thought so far! ^_^

* * *

**

When I left Venture Tower, I headed straight for the chantry, my hand playing with the ring in my pocket. My plan was risky, but I _had _to know if this was our man. I didn't see any other way; and like LaCroix had said, our time was getting short. Once the building was in sight, I got that weird feeling in my gut again. It was almost like being light-headed or falling, but neither sensation taking a full hold. The uneasy feeling took a stronger hold the closer I got to the chantry, finally bringing me to slightly tremble when I approached the door step. Taking a few deep breaths to calm myself, I knocked on the green-painted door. No answer. I looked around, but there were no windows I could peer into on this level to see if anyone was coming to answer my knocking. Instead, I tried the handle, surprised to find that it was unlocked. I found myself in a small entryway, very mutely decorated and calming. I had the choice of going upstairs or down a hallway; I chose the latter. As soon as I stepped into the hallway, however, I began to feel a little dizzy. I followed it, turning corners here and there, forced to make decisions when at a cross-road. _This place can't be this big!_ I thought fretfully as I made another turn. I felt like I was passing the same room over and over, and I was dismayed to pass the entryway twice. I didn't understand how I could be circling around when I always took different paths.

A new wave of dizziness hit me, forcing me to put my hand on the wall to steady myself. Looking around the corner I'd just approached, I could see a closed door in front of me. This was new, at least. Glad to find _something _to tell me I wasn't continuing in the same circles, I ignored the waning dizziness and opened the door. The Regent was sitting on a couch in front of a fireplace, reading. He looked up at me, then rose. "Good evening, Miss Lucas," he said cordially.

I didn't know if I wanted to smile and hug him because I'd finally found someone or if I should turn and run because his eyes were telling me I shouldn't be there. I decided to just try to act normal. "Regent," I greeted him, inclining my head slightly. "My apologies for barging in. There was no answer when I knocked on the outer door."

"Quite all right, Miss Lucas," he said with a slight smile. He gestured invitingly to the couch opposite the one on which he'd been sitting. "Please, sit."

"Thank you." I did as he asked to be polite, but I was fidgety. "With all due respect, Regent, I actually came to see Blake. Is he here?"

"Blake," he repeated, eyes narrowing slightly. "Yes, he is in his room. Is there some problem?"

Shaking my head, I smiled. "I met him earlier this evening and just remembered something I wanted to ask him."

"Well, I believe he is in the middle of his studies at the moment-"

"Please?" I broke in. "It'll only take a moment, then I'll go."

Strauss eyed me for a second longer, then rose from his seat. "I'll let him know you're here," he said before leaving the room.

I glanced around nervously, the uneasy, light-headed feeling still lingering. I tried to think of what I knew about the Tremere clan, but Mercurio hadn't been able to tell me much about them besides the fact that no one really trusts them much. "Nat?" Blake's voice at the door made me turn, giving him a small smile. He closed the door behind him as he entered. "What're you doing here?"

Getting up from the couch, I shrugged. "I, uh...I kinda followed you," I told him, acting sheepish.

"Followed me?" His expression was confused. "Why?"

"I was curious where you lived," I said, looking at the floor. "I was hoping to bump into you sometime, so..." Another shrug.

Blake chuckled. "Okay, but why are you here _now_?"

I bit my lip nervously as I pulled the ring out from my pocket. "I found this on the ground after you came in here. I was going back to Confession and saw it in the alleyway that you used as a shortcut. I...just...wondered if it was yours." I gave him a shy smile, trying to act like a girl with a crush instead of a girl who may be looking into the face of her doom.

He took the ring from me, frowning for a moment. Shaking his head slowly, he studied it. "No...it's not mine..."

His slow speech made me wonder what he was thinking. "What's wrong?"

He looked up at me, a serious look on his face. "There's violence all over this thing," he said softly. "Where'd you say you found it?"

_Tread lightly, Nat,_ I told myself, not quite sure what he was talking about. "In the alley that cuts down beside the Confession."

Blake studied the ring for a bit and sat down with it in his hand, closing his eyes briefly. When they opened again, he looked up at me. "I don't see that."

"What?"

"Tell me the truth, Nat. Where'd you find it?"

I shoved my hands in my pockets to keep him from seeing how much they'd begun to shake. "My...friend...was attacked the other night. The ring is the only clue I have." Even if he couldn't see the tremble of my hands, I knew my voice was giving away my fear.

"And you brought it to me because you think it belongs to me?"

I sank down onto the couch, my legs unable to support me anymore. "You have to understand," I said, barely above a whisper. "I _have _to find out who did it. That means investigating everyone I can that I don't know. And you're new in town, so..." Finally bringing myself to look at him, I whispered, "I'm sorry..."

Blake smiled and handed the ring back to me. "Hey. I get it. And I might be able to help."

"What?"

"I might be able to go with you to your friend's place and see if I can sense anything there. Leftover power, kinda. Just like I was able to read on the ring."

I looked at the ring, then back to Blake's smiling face. "You can do that?"

He grinned, waving my question away with a hand. "Simple stuff. Learned it before my sire was killed in Vegas. _Every _Tremere knows how."

"And you'd be willing to help me?" My heart was beating wildly. Maybe this wouldn't be so impossible if I had Blake on my side!

"Yeah, if you want me to. I'll try, anyway." Tilting his head to the side, Blake bit his bottom lip but still smiled. "I've got some things to finish up, but maybe around—I dunno—three? We can meet up and see what we can find out."

I laughed, my relief and happiness bubbling out against my control. "I could _kiss _you!" I said, jumping to my feet.

Blake laughed as well. "Let's see if I'll even be of any use to you." He winked at me and added, "Then we can discuss my payment." He got up and walked me out to the entryway. It surprised me how easily he navigated the hallways, especially with how hopelessly lost I'd been earlier.

"So, should I come back at three, then?" I asked.

"I'll meet you at the Confession," he said. "We'll head out from there."

I nodded, giving him a grin before leaving. For the first time since LaCroix had put this wager on the table, I felt like I had a fighting chance.

* * *

I hated to wake Mercurio that late. We arrived in Santa Monica around 3:30 in the morning, and I could tell Mercurio had fallen asleep on the couch by his appearance when he opened the door. I quickly explained to him what was going on, and he let us in. Wearily, he sat on a chair in the dining room, looking half-asleep as he leaned his chin on the palm of his hand, elbow resting on the table. "So this kid thinks he can find somethin' out that we missed, huh?" he asked as Blake went around the living room slowly, touching pieces of furniture as he went.

I nodded. "Psychic energies or something. He's Tremere, so he knows how to do things like that."

"And you said he's new in town?"

Again, I nodded in reply. "Strauss, the Regent downtown-he took him in."

Mercurio paused. "So you trust him?"

"He wouldn't be here if I didn't," I said, the edge of a chill in my voice.

Mercurio shrugged. "Sure he would, if you were desperate enough."

"Do _you _recognize him as the guy who attacked you?" I asked, leaning closer to him. His questions were starting to piss me off for some reason.

Sighing, Mercurio shook his head. "Nat, to be honest with you, I barely saw the guy. He started beatin' me around the head so fast once he was in here, I'm surprised I can remember anything of the past week. All I know for sure is that I never saw him before."

Blake came in then, shaking his head. "Not much I can tell you," he said. "It's all chaotic. Lots of fear and desperation, but I can't tell who it would be or why or anything else." He sighed, looking disappointed. "Guess I'm still too green at this."

"Ah, it's okay, kid," Mercurio said. "Ya tried. Now, if you two don't mind, I'm going to get some sleep."

"Yeah, sorry," I said to Mercurio as I hugged him tightly. "We'll figure this out."

He looked at me sadly and pulled back, but didn't let me go. "Your time's gettin' tight, sweetie."

I nodded. "I know. But even if I can't do it by then, I'm still gonna find him. I already promised myself that."

"Then what? By that time, no one will listen to you. It'll just-"

I shushed him with a finger on his lips, glancing to Blake. "I know. But I can try."

Mercurio nodded and let me go with a quick kiss on the cheek. "You guys be careful."

Blake waited until we were outside on the street to begin asking questions. "What was he talking about in there? Sounds like you're on a time limit for this."

I nodded as we walked slowly through a parking garage that linked to the street The Asylum was on. I still needed to see if I could talk to Jeanette. "I am. I need to figure this out by the end of tomorrow night."

"Why the time constraint?"

I sighed. "Basically, my credibility goes out the window if I can't do this by then. That's all you need to know." I glanced sideways at him. "Sorry. I don't mean to sound like I'm hiding something..."

He chuckled, putting a hand on my shoulder. "It's fine. If there's anything I'm used to, it's secrets."

His understanding made me smile. He put an arm around my shoulders for the rest of the walk to The Asylum. For an instant, I thought that I should shrug him off. I shouldn't be seen with "another man" like this. Then I thought, _Ah, fuck it. For all I know, the whole game could be over tomorrow night anyway._ It was too comforting to give up immediately.

As we walked up the steps to the club's door, Blake stopped. "What're we doing here?" he asked.

"I need to talk to one of the owners of this place," I told him. "See if she knows anything." He still seemed hesitant, and I realized I hadn't told him we were coming here. He'd just let me take the lead after leaving Mercurio's. "Something wrong?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. No, I'm fine. I'm hoping you're planning on talking to Therese?"

"No, Jeanette." That drew a groan from him, making me grin. "You've met her, I see..."

Blake nodded, opening the door for me. "Let's make this fast..."

I wasn't surprised when Jeanette honed in on our presence almost immediately. "Therese told me you'd be coming in to see me!" she said, walking over to us. "I didn't think I'd have to wait so-" Her sentence cut off as she saw Blake. I could see the flash of recognition in her eyes. "Well...look who came back after all..." Her voice took on a breathy tone, her eyes half-lidded. She was laying the seduction on _thick _now that she'd seen him.

"Jeanette..." he said simply, his voice low.

I glanced between them and decided I didn't want to know what history they had. "Jeanette, is there somewhere quiet where the three of us can talk? I need to ask you about something."

She looked at me with her annoyance plain on her face. Apparently, Blake's presence had made her instantly forget about me. "Of course. Upstairs in the office. Follow me." I saw her wink at Blake before leading us to the elevator. With a smirk, I raised an eyebrow at Blake. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. Once the door to the office was closed behind us, Jeanette turned with her hands on her hips and asked, "Now...what can I help you with tonight?" Her eyes looked me up and down, instantly making me feel dirty.

"Here...this..." I said, nearly shoving the ring at her to get her attention somewhere else. "Have you seen it before? Like, probably within the past week?"

Jeanette studied the ring with a pout on her face then handed it back. "No, I'm sorry, kitten, I haven't. Then again, I don't really pay much attention to a man's hands unless he's-"

"_Thank you_, Jeanette," I interrupted, not wanting to hear anymore. "That's all I really needed to know, thanks."

"Aw, but you can't just leave _now_!" She took a step closer to Blake, touching his shoulder lightly. "I'm sure there's _something _the three of us could find to do. I'm so lonely and _bored _up here by myself." Again, she pouted, looking from me to Blake.

He looked down at her and said, "We have to go. Really."

"But...just for a few minutes?" Her hand brushed Blake's jaw, and I saw his eyes flutter shut.

"No," I said firmly, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door. "We need to go. There are other stops to make."

Jeanette's eyes flashed angrily as she looked at me. "If _you're_ the one asking the questions about that ring, then Blakey can stay here with _me _if he likes. Right? Blake?" Her fingers raked through his hair, making him bite his bottom lip.

"Oh, for... Fine." I threw Blake's hand down, jolting him out of the trance Jeanette had apparently put him into. "You stay and...do whatever if you want. _I'm_ going to find out more about this ring."

"Nat, wait!" He glanced at Jeanette, then grabbed my hand. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? It-" Another glance back at Jeanette, then he pulled me into a corner of the office. I could see her over his shoulder, her arms crossed and a smug smile on her face. "It's not what you think," Blake whispered. "I spent _one _night with her, and she thinks she owns me now."

I chuckled. "You obviously enjoy what she does," I said, perhaps a little too venomously. "Stay if you want. I'm not going to tell you what to do."

"No! I want to come with you," he protested. "I just...drag me out of here. _Please_. This is why I didn't want to come up here in the first place!"

"Hm. Fine. But let me get a message across to her first." I glanced at her over his shoulder again. Her smile began to fade as mine got bigger.

"A message?" I grinned at him and gave him a little wink before putting my arms around his neck and pulling him down into a sizzling kiss. I heard his startled "Mmf!" before feeling his arms go around my waist. When I pulled back, his eyes were wide with surprise.

"We're going," I told Jeanette over Blake's shoulder, grinning at the expression of firey anger on her face.

That fire faded quickly, being replaced yet again with her smug smile. "Fine. I'm sure your _Prince _will be interested in what I just happened to witness, though..."

_Oh shit...LaCroix..._ "Things haven't been going so great at home," I said, my voice icy. "We're taking a little break."_ Shit, shit, shit, shit...Oh god, this was **such** a bad idea..._

"Hm...too bad," Jeanette purred. "Well, if you absolutely _must _go, I suppose I can't stop you. Bye bye, darlings. I'll see you again soon, I hope."

I led Blake out of the office and into the elevator before letting go of his hand and covering my face with both of mine. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, goddammit, what the _fuck _was I thinking?"

"I have no idea...and I don't know what the fuck's going on either," Blake said. When I looked up, he was half-smiling but looked worried as hell also.

"I'm...I mean...goddamn fucking bullshit!" I stomped my foot in anger at myself as the doors opened. "Forget it, come on."

"But-"

"Shut up." Blake let me drag him out of the club. It had started to rain, and the first thing I did was raise my face to the sky. The cool droplets on my skin helped calm me down, allowing me to think for a moment. "Okay. Here's the deal. You heard what Jeanette said in there about the Prince, right?"

Blake nodded, then stopped suddenly. "Wait..._the _Prince? As in-"

"Prince LaCroix."

"But she said _your _Prince!"

"Yeah, well, LaCroix _is _my Prince."

Blake's jaw dropped open. "But...you just...I mean...we just...uh..."

"Yeah. And..." I sighed. "God, I need to talk to him before Jeanette does. If I don't, it's gonna be my head. But she's probably on the phone to his office right now." I smacked my palm against my forehead. "Fuck it. Fuck it all. I'm...forget it. Let's just go."

"Wait, you can't just do that and then brush it off!" Blake said, grabbing my arm as I turned to walk down the street. "You say it'll be _your _head? What about _me_?"

I tried to smile at him reassuringly. "It's more complicated than that. You won't be touched. I promise."

"But-"

"I _promise_. You're Strauss's. Even LaCroix would have a hard time touching you without a damned good reason. Better than this, anyway." Blake still looked unsure but nodded while frowning at me. I checked the time on my cell phone. It was getting close to 5. "We should head back home," I sighed. "Sunrise will be coming before we know it, and I don't wanna be stuck with you in the car when it happens."

Blake nodded again. "Me neither." That made me giggle for some reason as I dialed up the cab service on my cell phone.

* * *

After dropping off Blake at the chantry, I returned to Venture Tower, my stomach twisting with nervousness. I'd fucked up. Big time. I was so caught up in getting Jeanette's claws out of Blake that I hadn't even thought about the consequences of such a brash action as kissing him in front of her. Definitely didn't think that one through. Instead of going to my own suite, I went up to LaCroix's office. As the elevator seemed to crawl upwards, I tried to go over how I'd tell LaCroix what had happened. All I could think, though, was_ I betrayed you._ I shook my head hard. I wasn't _really _with LaCroix, but my mind was thinking as if I was. I didn't know if it was because of the public face we were supposed to be keeping up or wishful thinking. Either way, it didn't change the nausea I felt when the elevator doors opened. I tried the handle of his office doors. Locked. That meant he was done working for the morning.

I walked back to the elevator and pushed the button for the 55th floor. After a moment's thought, I pushed the button for the 56th. I needed to talk to him, regardless. If nothing else, I'd at least see if he'd answer the door. If he was _awake _still, anyway. The elevator stopped on his floor, and again my stomach twisted nervously. This was very possibly the _last _thing in the world I wanted to do. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on his suite's door somewhat timidly. After a couple seconds that felt like years, I heard footsteps, shoes clicking on the wood flooring inside. The door opened, and LaCroix frowned at me. "What's wrong?" he asked immediately.

"Can I come in?" I asked, my voice tiny. The fact that he could tell something was wrong so instantly meant it had to be written all over my face. Or he figured the only reason I'd be coming to his personal suite was that something was wrong. He hesitated for a moment, then opened the door wider for me to enter. "I'm sorry to disturb you like this," I said, looking at the floor.

"I assume whatever reason you have for doing so is important," he said. I looked up at him, noticing he'd removed his coat and tie. He'd obviously been in the process of getting comfortable after working all night.

I nodded. "I...I really screwed up tonight, I think." I walked over to the piano bench and sat down. "But if I can't find Mercurio's attacker by tomorrow morning, I guess we can just say it was reason for us to go our separate ways."

LaCroix raised his head to look down his nose at me, crossing his arms. "What happened?"

"Remember the Tremere? The new guy? Blake?" LaCroix nodded. "I...he kinda analyzed the ring for me, said he couldn't tell who it belonged to. So we went to Mercurio's to see if there were any clues there that he could sense. After that fell through, we went to the Asylum because I told Therese last night that I'd be back to talk to Jeanette." LaCroix raised an eyebrow, and I could tell he was getting impatient. "He and Jeanette had apparently had some sort of...connection previously, and she wasn't wanting to let him go when we were trying to leave, so I...kinda...kissed him."

The Prince stared at me for a few seconds before reaching up and squeezing the bridge of his nose with two fingers. "You kissed him," he repeated in a monotone voice. "In front of Jeanette Voerman. What _part _of you thought this to be a _good idea_?" The volume of his voice was rising as he spoke.

"I didn't really think! That's the problem! I...just...I always forget that _everyone _knows we're together, and...I just...wanted her to think he was spoken for so she'd let us go."

When LaCroix looked back to me, I could see he was struggling to hold back from lashing out. "I see. Well. As you said, this may prove to be a _good _thing, provided you don't deliver the culprit to my doorstep tomorrow morning. I assume you haven't had any luck as of yet?" I shook my head. "Good."

"Good?" I cried, jumping up. He might as well have slapped me in the face. "You don't _want _me to find him, do you? Just fucking _say _it! If you want me to leave, just _tell _me!" LaCroix just kept looking at me in silence, his cold, gray eyes not telling me anything. "I _know _I've been nothing but trouble for you once this whole thing started. I'm sorry I ever suggested it!" I was beginning to cry now. Fuck it. I knew he didn't want me around. Deep down, I'd known it ever since he suggested this whole wager. "You know what? I'm gone. I'll move out by this afternoon so you won't have to see me again once I walk out that door. Why keep hanging on for another day when we _both _know this is fucking impossible? You'll be happy to be rid of me; the whole fucking Ventrue clan will be glad that you aren't fucking a mortal; and I can get on with my miserable life, trying to forget you ever existed and failing miserably because you made me drink your fucking blood!" With that, I turned and headed in the direction I thought the door was in. I couldn't see; the tears were blurring my vision too much.

"So you're giving up before your time has even expired, then?" I heard LaCroix ask, then he chuckled. "Perhaps for the best. You're not fit to be Ventrue."

I spun around and flipped him off. "_Fuck _you Ventrue assholes!" I marched to the door and flung it open. A hand on my arm stopped me, but I tried to shake him off.

"Natalie..."

"Fuck you, LaCroix, I'm not going to be your fake girlfriend anymore. Samantha can have your cold, dead ass. I'm _done_."

His hands were on both shoulders now. "Natalie." He held onto me tightly until I gave up and just stood in front of him with my head down. "I never wanted to get rid of you," he said softly. "I _do _believe this will be for the best, however. You wouldn't be able to handle it."

"I could," I protested, looking up at him and wiping the tears from my eyes. "Just because I can't find a needle in a haystack doesn't mean I couldn't handle being Ventrue. I think _you _gave up on me. What happened to molding me into something great? I was doing okay until this shit came up, wasn't I?" Tears began to choke my voice again.

"You managed," he said with a small smile as he let me go. "And I never _really _expected you to find the attacker."

"What?"

"What I was _hoping _for was that you'd try to find a way in without having to follow through. Offer a better exchange more to your advantage that I couldn't refuse."

"Like what? I'm not a business person, LaCroix, you _know _that. I can do the social thing and get by, but wheeling and dealing isn't my thing."

Another thin-lipped smile from him as he turned and walked back into the suite. "Then _I'm_ the one who failed you," he said.

His words shocked me enough that I closed the door without walking out. "What do you mean?"

"I knew this was coming," he said, making a sweeping gesture with a hand. "It was inevitable. Only a matter of time until the elders were informed of my conduct. I had hoped that I would have taught you enough to make a decision suited to a Ventrue by the time this came up, but it seems I hadn't."

"What does any of that have to do with the fact that Mercurio was attacked?" I asked, frowning. "Don't tell me you set that up?"

"Of course not!" LaCroix's voice told me it was ridiculous to even suggest such a thing. "Sheer coincidence. It merely presented the perfect opportunity to give you an impossible task out of which I had _hoped _you'd bargain."

"You never answered my question as to what kind of offer I was supposed to make," I reminded him, crossing my arms. "If I'm not going to see you again after today, I think I at least deserve to know what the hell I was _supposed _to do."

He chuckled. "The possibilities were endless, Miss Lucas. Anything from framing someone to accomplish your goal to persuading me to Embrace you to continue on with your education and take this task on with more time. If you'd come up with _any _compelling argument, I would have taken your Embrace into more consideration. But you chose instead to go out on your own with naught but a ring and try to solve a mystery that may never be solved." He shook his head, crossing his arms again. "You need to _think_, Miss Lucas. That is what brought you here this morning: forgetting to do so and instead acting out of desperation."

I leaned against the door to his suite, mulling over his words. He was right. I could argue that he'd ordered me to find Mercurio's attacker, but he hadn't. He'd _challenged _me to try. "So that's it, then," I said softly.

"So you've said," he replied with a nod. He walked over to me and put a finger under my chin, making me lift my head to look at him. "As I said, I didn't set out to get rid of you. I'm being forced to. If I'd had more time-"

"Save it," I said softly. "Your clan wants you to get rid of me, I'm not good enough for you, I get it. You gave me a chance, and I blew it. I wasn't thinking like you, so..." I shrugged. "You wasted too much time on me already."

"You _do _have potential," LaCroix said, not letting me look away. "If I could be sure that this brashness of yours could be overcome and you'd start using your head more often, even now, I might reconsider..." He sighed, finally turning away from me and walking across the room to the piano, the fingers of one hand brushing the keys gently. "But if you've given up all hope as well...well, that's that, is it not? _C'est la vie._"

I stared at his back, my head spinning a bit. Was he still giving me a chance to turn this around? "I could overcome it," I said, a desperate last ditch effort. "I mean, it might take time, but-"

"We don't have _time_, Miss Lucas," he said without looking at me. "If you are to be my childe, you must be able to make it through the _Agoge _and be made a presentable example of a Ventrue. As you are now...I just can't take that chance."

_You can't take the chance..._ I thought. _What if I would?_ I walked over to LaCroix and took his hand, making him look at me. My eyes locked onto his, I kneeled down and kissed his hand as if he were actual royalty. Taking a deep breath, I said, "My Prince, if you wish for me to leave your service, I will. But I beg you to give me another chance. I can make you proud. And if during my-" I struggled to remember, then pronounce the word, "-my _Agoge_, you see that I'm not fit to be presented to the clan, I'll gladly let myself come to Final Death as punishment so you won't have to live with the shame of having a childe who failed you. You could make it look as if I'd been killed, keeping your involvement out of it totally, just a heartbroken sire whose childe was murdered before she'd even finished the _Agoge_. I'd rather die than have to live without you by my side to guide me."

The smug smile I'd become so used to began to touch the Prince's lips. "And your actions tonight? What of those? You know how your indiscretion will look."

"I'm only kine," I said, beginning to grin. "And I've been at two clubs tonight. Who's to say I hadn't been drinking? I wasn't in control of my actions, and I deeply regret betraying my beloved Prince."

He raised an eyebrow. "Not entirely airtight, but perhaps we'll work on it after sunset." Taking his hand out of my grasp, he again placed it under my chin. This time, instead of just looking up at him, I stood. "Your actions are still brash, Miss Lucas, but you're at least beginning to understand. Force what you want to come to you, even if it means taking a _great _risk, as long as you're certain you can overcome the challenge and come out triumphant. This is the last chance I'm giving you to reconsider." I opened my mouth to answer, but he gently tapped my head with the fingers of his other hand. "_Think _for once, Miss Lucas. Don't just act."

I smiled. "I've _been _thinking. I meant what I said. I'd rather die than stay kine without you."

LaCroix's expression revealed a touch of surprise. "Your devotion is...intriguing. It makes me wonder how you really _would _do as Ventrue. Even if I'm your sire, I can't guide your steps forever."

"No, but my devotion will make me work tirelessly to make you proud," I responded. "And it will show others how well I've been trained by you. Everyone will know that my success is due to the wisdom and guidance of my sire, lifting their opinions of _both _of us."

That slow smile began to touch LaCroix's lips again. "Well. This _is _an interesting turn of events," he murmured. "You came in here and swore to leave. Now you're ready to give your life for the chance to be my childe. I'll have to think on this. I trust you'll still be living in the tower at sunrise tomorrow after all?" I nodded. "Come see me then. I'll let you know what I've decided. In the meantime, if you'd like, you may continue your search."

Nodding again, I grinned. I reached up and put my arms around his neck, pulling him down and kissing his lips lightly. "You won't regret this," I whispered against his mouth.

He chuckled. "Impulsive." His one-word accusation didn't stop him from kissing me again, however, his cold hand on the back of my neck to hold me in place. He'd said he would miss this if I left. I wanted to remind him of that as much as I could now that we were in the last hours.

When I let him go, I backed away. "I'll be at your office tomorrow morning," I confirmed with a nod.

"_À bientôt_, Miss Lucas," he said with a smirk.

I let myself out of his suite and leaned against the door after closing it. I couldn't believe it had worked. Yeah, I'd pretty much given him permission to kill me if I couldn't keep up; but that seemed to be what it took to keep myself in this game. I began to grin to myself. There was _no way_ I was giving him up that easily. And to find that I'd been played with his whole "I never expected you to find the attacker" game? Even better. It only made up my mind that I wanted to do this. Now, all I could do was hope that his decision went in my favor.


	16. Chapter 16

___I see only colors, no shapes, no faces. I don't need to. I know my Prince is all silver and gold. But who is the blue and red? Red, weaving through deep blue like veins, pulsating and moving. The blue and red swirls around me for a moment, leaving the sensation of a kiss on my lips. My silver and gold Prince pulls me away, wrapping his arms around me possessively. It makes me laugh because he knows I'd never leave him willingly._

___Red tendrils tickle my ear, whispering words I can't comprehend. The red is waved away; and I'm turned to look into silver eyes, hypnotizing me as they always do. Blue brushes my neck, making me shiver from the chill. My Prince seems more annoyed by these interruptions than I am. The red touches me again, caressing my mouth open until it can slip inside._

___I'm burning. Screaming as my blood boils in my body. I reach for my Prince; but the gold is faded, the silver cold. I try to tell him I'm sorry, but I can't form words anymore._

___My ashes are almost silver in my Prince's golden hair.

* * *

_

I sat up in bed with a gasp. I was sweating, but definitely not burning. The whole dream made me shiver, and it _wasn't_ the cool air hitting my sweat-soaked skin. Glancing at the clock, I could see it was just after 3 PM. _If my dreams are this fucked up just being a ghoul, what will they be like if I'm Embraced?_ I wondered. _Do vampires even dream?_ With a sigh, I hauled myself out of bed and stripped the sheets from the bed. In the bathroom, there was a chute for laundry that I dumped the bedsheets into before stripping off my nightshirt and getting into the shower. Even the hot water couldn't take the chill away this time. It almost seemed as if my dreams were warning me to stay with LaCroix no matter what. And the blue and red colors...could they be Blake? Blue-eyed Tremere...the red in the dream might have been the blood his clan uses in their magic. After our kiss the night before—which I had to admit to enjoying-, maybe I had been thinking in my subconscious that Blake would comfort me if LaCroix turned me away?

I groaned and scrubbed my skin harder with the washcloth. Was it so much to ask for _happy _dreams now and then? Not these weird, creepy-ass ones? After drying off, I put my hair up and stared in the mirror for a while. I'd never noticed if the stories about vampires having no reflection was true. I wondered if I'd still have a reflection after hearing LaCroix's decision in the morning. Pushing that thought aside—it wasn't worth my energy to worry about it when I couldn't do anything more to sway his decision-, I wondered what I should do that night. Once again, I was at a dead end as far as finding Mercurio's attacker went. Even with Blake's help, I didn't know what step should be next.

Finally ripping myself away from the mirror, I wandered into the living room and flopped on the couch. My mind went over the events of the previous night, and I couldn't help but be curious about Jeanette and Blake. I blamed my curiosity on boredom. He said he'd spent the night with her. Considering how new he was to town, it didn't take long for them to meet. I wondered why he would have been in Santa Monica when the Tremere chantry was in downtown. Maybe he wandered there first before showing up on Strauss's doorstep. My eyes went wide as my thoughts went on a new tangent:_ Maybe Mercurio's attacker was the one to beat Blake so badly! If Blake was in Santa Monica first, this guy might have beat the shit outta him for no reason, then moved on to Mercurio a few nights later!_

It didn't add up, though. I'd heard of serial killers, but either this guy was really bad at that, or he just got off on beating people up. Either way, it didn't make sense. Mercurio's attacker _had_ to have gone there for a reason. I didn't even know if the guy was still in Santa Monica. Hell, he could have left California, for all I knew.

I lay there on the couch, pondering different things in silence until my phone rang and made me jump. The caller ID was blocked. "Hello?" I answered it.

"Are you going out tonight, Sissy?"

I blinked, pulling my phone away from my ear and looking at it in disbelief for a second. "Calvin?"

"Are you going out?" His voice was whispery.

_How the hell did this crazy son of a bitch get my number?_ I wondered. "Uh...yeah, probably."

"Beware." I could barely hear the word he breathed.

"What are you talking about?"

"Beware the beast sent by the beauty."

I paused for a second, taking in his words. "What beast, Calvin? And who's a beauty?"

"_His sister_," the Malkavian hissed.

My blood went cold. Was he talking about Mercurio's attacker? Was the guy sent by a sister of his? My mind flashed back to Mercurio's question: _"He have any old girlfriends that you know of?...Might wanna check her out a bit."_ Did Layla have a brother? How the hell would I find out? Maybe LaCroix, but... "Calvin, tell me what beast I need to watch out for. Please." I spoke slowly and clearly, hoping he'd be able to tell I needed him to be straight with me.

"The wolf. The one dressed in wool." I opened my mouth to ask him again to explain, but the line clicked, and the call was gone.

I called Mercurio immediately, pacing back and forth until he answered. "Can any Kindred turn into a wolf?" I blurted out.

"What?"

"A wolf, Mercurio! Like, I dunno, a werewolf or something."

There was a pause. Then he answered, "I told you, werewolves are somethin' totally different from vampires."

"I know! But can any vampires turn into wolves? Like shapeshift."

"Yeah, I mean, some can. Gangrels...I guess a Tzimisce could if he wanted to...why?"

"I wonder if your attacker was one of those," I said before telling Mercurio of the odd phone call I'd just had.

He sighed when I finished. "I dunno, Nat. I mean, it could be anything from a crazy shit like that playin' a prank to him bein' serious. Maybe you should just stay home tonight to be safe."

I sat on the couch, biting my lip in thought. "But if he's warning me, this might be the perfect chance I have to _catch _the guy!"

"Nat, don't be stupid!" Mercurio scolded. "If you're wanting to take this seriously, do it all the way! You wouldn't be able to fight off a fuckin' vampire, especially if he's a Gangrel or a fuckin' Tzimisce. You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"I'll take Blake with me wherever I go tonight," I promised.

"I'm not so sure Blake's worth the effort it'd take for me to throw him across the room. He seems like a green kid who got cut loose too early. Maybe if he studies more, he'll turn out okay; but he's not that bright as is from what I saw."

"Maybe, but at least I'd have _some _kind of protection, right? Listen, I'm gonna go. I'll call you in the morning and let you know what happened. Like you said, it might be nothing, but I can't risk that."

"Nat..." Mercurio spoke softly as he said my name. "I know why you're doin' this, but what good is getting yourself killed gonna do? It ain't gonna get you closer to him."

"I know. But I _want _to do this, remember? Look. I love you. I'll call you tomorrow. Promise."

He sighed. "All right. Love you too, kiddo. Be careful."

"I will." After hanging up, I glanced at the time. Only 6 PM. Still a couple hours until sunset. I silently cursed my luck for making these circumstances come around in summer. It just made my time shorter. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees as I thought of what I should do that night. My going out _just _because of Calvin's call seemed a little impetuous, I realized. _Impulsive_, LaCroix had called me. But, when faced with a situation like this, how else could I react? I understood why it was good to sit back and gauge a situation before jumping in; but in a matter of immediacy, how should I make a decision? I had to be fast on my feet, and LaCroix had told me I was good at that. So...when forced to make an impulsive decision, maybe that's where I shined? When it was absolutely necessary instead of just a reflex action? But what was the difference?

I groaned and laid back against the couch. Trying to think like a Ventrue when _not _a Ventrue was exhausting. I narrowed it down to two thoughts:_ Should I go? _or _Should I not go?_ A third thought popped in, asking, _Go **where**?_ I shoved it away to worry about later. _Should I go? Should I not go?_ After a few moments of getting nowhere with those questions, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a quarter. _Heads, I'll go. Tails, I stay home._ I set the quarter up to flip and began to giggle nervously. _Letting a fucking coin toss decide what could be my fate...pathetic. A Ventrue wouldn't do this._ I nearly put the coin back in my pocket, then changed my mind. _I'm not Ventrue. Yet._ The coin landed heads-side up. _Okay, that's decided. Now I just have to wait a couple hours before Blake can go with me._

With a sigh, I looked around the room. I needed a tv or something, I decided. Well, that could wait until after dealing with whatever LaCroix's decision was going to be. Another thought to push out of my head for the time being. It was too easy to fret over what he'd decide, if I'd even see him again after sunrise. Ever.

Growling in frustration, I got up and stormed out of my apartment. I had to get out and at least walk. It was _something _to do to kill time besides being trapped in my own head. _Besides...might be my last time to walk in the sunshine. _I sighed as I stepped out of the tower. The thoughts were going to follow me no matter what. With only a matter of hours left, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. As I walked, I passed by a fast food place and wondered how long it had really been since I'd eaten there. I couldn't remember at all. I'm not a health nut; I just hadn't had time or the lifestyle to stop in. Five minutes later, I was walking out, happily drinking a milkshake and carrying a paper bag with french fries and a cheeseburger inside. _Carpe diem,_ I thought as I walked over to a random bench and sat down to eat.

* * *

The rest of the evening, I planted myself next to a building and just watched people. It once again amazed me how they just went on with their lives, not knowing what comes out at night to feed on them. I wondered how many of them were ghouls like me, probably doing their masters' bidding. A young man passed me on a cell phone, shouting into it, something about the other person being confusing. _You have no idea what confusing is, brother, _I thought with a chuckle. _Try spending a few hours in my shoes with **my** boss..._

I shivered and only then realized that I'd been sitting in a shadow for a while, the sun dipping low in the sky. Dusting off my jeans as I got up, I began to amble in the direction of the chantry. My stomach began to get that weird twisting and falling feeling again as I approached it. There was definitely something weird about the place that probably would never be explained to me. Before opening the front door, I glanced at the sky. Still a little bit of light to it. Oh well. I went inside, opting to go up the stairs just inside the door this time. The stairs ended with a single door, Blake's room. I knocked softly, not knowing if he'd still be asleep or not. Thankfully, he wasn't. He seemed pleased and surprised to see me. "Things must have gone okay last night," he said, inviting me in.

"Better than I expected," I told him, glancing around as I entered his room. "But I kinda need your help tonight."

"What can I do?" Blake grabbed a chair and spun it around, straddling it as he sat down and folded his arms on the back of it.

"Not sure yet. I know I kinda need you to be on the look out for anything...weird." I shrugged. "Kinda just being my bodyguard, mostly."

He smiled, absently chewing on a fingernail. The human-like action made me grin and relax a little more. "Bodyguard? Are you expecting to be attacked?"

I shrugged again. "I don't know. Just a bad feeling about tonight."

Chuckling, Blake got up from his seat and walked over to me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Well...I don't know about any bad feeling," he said softly. "I'm just glad I get to see you again. Wasn't sure I'd be able to."

I giggled. "Nah, crisis averted," I said with a grin that began to fade as I noticed Blake leaning in. I knew I should stop him; but when his lips touched mine, I just let my eyes close to enjoy it. His hands slid down my arms and slid around my waist, making me shiver as his thumbs slipped under the edge of my shirt. I let him pull me over to his bed where he sat on the edge of the mattress, pulling me into his lap. Still locked in our kiss, he lay back on the bed; and I let my lips begin to wander down to his collarbone.

Something was missing. Or wrong. I tried to keep going because, goddammit, Blake was an _amazing _kisser and probably the most _human _vampire I'd met so far. But I couldn't. _Something_ was missing; and as I kissed Blake's lips again, I realized what it was. There was no French cologne to get lost in. And he was just letting me do what I wanted, not guiding me through it. I quickly realized that I _liked _the way LaCroix took the lead when we kissed. I actually _liked _his attitude of "you're going to kiss me now, and I'll make sure that it's worth your while." I pulled back when, lastly, I realized that, even if LaCroix dropped me in the morning, I wouldn't be able to replace him. Not even with someone who seemed as sweet as Blake. "What's wrong?" Blake asked, bringing my attention back to him.

"I...just can't," I sighed, climbing off him. "I'm sorry, I know I'm a bitch for letting you do that and...goddammit..."

"I shouldn't have," Blake said, getting to his feet. "I should be the one apologizing."

When I looked up at him, he almost looked mad, prompting another reflex apology from me. "I'm sorry, Blake..."

"No, I get it. Your _Prince _has a hold on you. And no matter how badly you want to get away from it, you _can't_. Right?"

I frowned, a little surprised by the edge in his voice. "I...no, that's not how it is," I protested. "I really do love him. It's just...I don't know what's going to happen in our relationship, and I've been wondering lately if I'd ever _really _be able to replace him if things fall through."

Blake's eyes narrowed at me, then he sighed. "And you can't."

A little sadly, I shook my head. "I don't think so."

He forced a chuckle. "Hey, it's no big deal. I thought I had a shot for a second."

"I'm sorry," I said again. "I didn't mean to-"

"I told you, it's no big deal." His voice held a sudden chill that made me step back. Sighing again, Blake rubbed the heel of his palm against his forehead. "Sorry...too much studying or something. Max is driving me crazy, trying to teach me stuff I already knew..."

I nodded. "Maybe we should go..."

"Where to?"

I hesitated a moment before shrugging. "I'm not sure yet. Maybe just around town for the moment until a strike of genius hits me." I grinned, trying to ease the tension between us.

Blake looked at me for a moment before chuckling. "'Strike of genius...' All right, lead the way."

* * *

As we walked around downtown, we made idle chit-chat. It was as if nothing had happened between us except for the fact that I couldn't get it out of my head. We were near the Nocturne Theatre when Blake murmured, "We're being followed."

My heart thumped a little wildly from a flash of panic. "You're sure?"

"Mmhmm." He put an arm around my shoulders, and I considered pushing him away in case it was LaCroix following us. The only thing that stopped me was remembering that skulking around in shadows wasn't LaCroix's style. Plus, I didn't think he'd actually spy on me. Blake pulled me into an alley, a grin on his face. Pinning me against a brick wall, he kissed me hard. I made a small noise of protest. In response, he broke the kiss briefly and whispered, "Pretend you enjoy it."

I let him kiss me for a couple more seconds before putting my hands against his chest and pushing him away. "This isn't exactly helping," I said angrily.

"Sorry! I figured if we were being followed, pretending we were just having some fun instead of looking for something would-" Suddenly going silent, his head turned to the entrance of the alley. He grabbed my hand and pulled me further into the shadows, wrenching open the stage door of the theatre and shoving me inside. "Okay, this is better," he said after the door clanged closed behind him. "More privacy."

"Privacy for _what_, Blake?" I asked, really getting pissed now. He was acting so weird... "We _weren't _being followed, were we?" I accused.

"Okay, maybe not. Maybe I just wanted an excuse to kiss you again," he said, throwing his hands into the air as he passed me in the concrete hallway. I bumped into the wall hard as I dodged his flying arms. I followed him, more out of curiosity than anything, rubbing my hip where the cell phone in my pocket had jabbed into me when I ran into the concrete wall. "Maybe I feel like you'd be better off with _me _than this _Prince_, whom you seem terrified of!" he continued to rant.

I chuckled a bit at that. "_Everyone _who knows him is a little scared of him," I told him, crossing my arms. "He's the most powerful Kindred in the city. No one should get on his bad side."

Blake turned to me, his footsteps echoing on the wooden stage. He just looked at me for a few moments before speaking. "So maybe that's it... You're not in _love _with him. You just want the power he has."

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "That's not it at all, Blake."

"Oh, I think it is!" he argued. He took a couple quick steps in my direction, shortening the distance between us enough to take hold of my arm and drag me out into the middle of the stage. "You want to stand up here next to him the next time he's got some big announcement to make, soaking up the feeling of everyone's eyes on him, don't you?"

"Where the fuck are you getting this, Blake?" I asked, trying to wrench my arm from his grasp. "What's _wrong _with you tonight?"

He pulled me close to him, his face inches from mine when he spoke. "You were supposed to be _mine_, Natalie," he growled. "Don't you see how many dangerous people want you away from LaCroix? You'd be _safe _with me."

"Yeah, 'cause I feel _really _safe right now," I quipped bitterly. "And we're _dealing _with the ones that want me away from him."

The sound of his laughter was a little chilling, so low and soft. "Oh, _really _now?"

"Yes, really... How did you know about that anyway?"

"Know about what?"

"About people wanting me away from LaCroix. No one should have been able to know about that besides me and LaCroix. And Mercurio, but only because I told him."

Blake's eyes narrowed, then he suddenly looked out into the theatre. "Hey...do you still have that ring?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes..." _He knows things he shouldn't know. He's acting really weird, hostile. I need to get out of here, but I can't force him to let me go!_ I was trying to go through everything in my mind to figure out how to get loose, but Blake's hand was like a vice grip on my arm.

"Lemme see it again..." I pulled the ring out of my pocket and handed it to him, seeing no advantage to resisting. He grinned as he saw it and took it from me before putting his arm around my neck and pulling me against his chest. This allowed him to let go of my arm and slip the ring onto his right hand. "So glad I could get this back before my sister found out I lost it."

"Sister?" I said in a trembling voice. _Beware the beast sent by the beauty. His sister._

"Mmhmm. Now. Nat." Blake took hold of both of my wrists and stepped back to look at me, a grin on his face that showed his fangs. "I'm gonna tell you a secret. My sister _really _doesn't like you. She doesn't like the fact that you've taken LaCroix away from her. She asked _me _to send you a message."

"Who's your sister?" I asked. If I ever got out of this somehow, LaCroix needed to know who was behind this.

"Does it matter?" Blake laughed. "All _you _need to know is that Mercurio was supposed to die that night. Can't believe I fucked that one up..."

"Why?" My voice was barely a whisper now.

"Like I said. A message. To show you that, the longer you stay around LaCroix, the more likely it is that you're gonna die. And that would be said by killing a close friend first." His grin faded. "Bastard has some fight in him, though. Tried everything I could to get him down, even trying to drain him. I thought I'd taken enough from him to leave him to bleed out, but I guess I fucked that up."

I stared at Blake in horror. A little while ago, I was kissing my grandfather's attacker? The thought made me nauseated. But...that still didn't explain part of Calvin's call, though I was wishing I'd listened to Mercurio's warning and just stayed home. Blake was Tremere...he couldn't shapeshift into a wolf. What, then...

"Now, I'm not supposed to do this, but considering the fact that the plan didn't go _exactly _as it was supposed to, I'm going to throw this out there," Blake said as he began to smile again. "You'll be just fine, leave here without a scratch, if you come with me. We'll leave town, go back to Vegas, you'll be free of LaCroix, my sister can have him, and I'll have you." He let go of one of my wrists and caressed my cheek with the back of his hand. "I'll take care of you," he whispered, sounding almost tender.

"You _really _expect me to come with you after you just told me you tried to kill Mercurio?" I asked incredulously. "There's no fuckin' _way _I'd follow you anywhere! You're a fuckin' _monster_!"

Blake's eyes narrowed angrily, and he bared his teeth. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, head spinning from a backhand across my face. "I can't believe you'd be so _stupid_!" he yelled, beginning to walk over to me. "You'd actually give your life for him?"

Getting back to my feet with one hand against my sore cheek, I answered simply, "Yes."

I tried to back away as he approached, but I stumbled and fell back to the stage floor. Blake was on me in an instant, forcing my hands to the ground and pinning me under him. "Last chance, Nat," he said with a growl.

"Fuck you, asshole."

I screamed as his fangs pierced my neck painfully. He kept moving his head as he drank my blood, making sure his bite was as painful as possible. I tried to kick him off but quickly became light-headed and weak. The ceiling of the Nocturne Theatre was the last thing I saw before the cold took my body over, and my eyes went closed. Everything, even my thoughts, went silent.

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**A/N: And there ends our story. Thanks so much for reading and-OKAY OKAY, I'm lying. Sheesh. But obviously, Nat isn't going to be able to keep telling this story, so the POV will change at the beginning of the next chapter. And I have a three-day weekend, so the next chapter MAY be posted soon. Possibly. No promises. :P The story's far from over, so hang in there.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Yes, two chapters in one day. I'm impatient, and I rather liked this chapter. XD  
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**Okay, so just as a reminder, last chapter ended with Nat's dying on the stage of the Nocturne Theatre, drained of blood by Blake. (PS to Kizzy: *evil giggle* I couldn't resist putting that in my last A/N. I'm sorry, dear, forgive me? *hands you a daisy*) Here, we'll dip into the brains of a couple other characters in this chapter. ****(PS to Loving Companion Cube: The second character in this chapter wasn't in my original plan, but I had to include him after talking to you. I'm glad I did, now, as it answers a couple questions that I was pondering how to answer.)**** We're going back in time just a liiiiittle bit first, though, to have a seamless merging of characters and situations. Have fun, ducklings. ;)

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___**Mercurio**_

After Nat's phone call, I couldn't shake my own uneasy feeling. She had a knack for getting herself into tight spots because she didn't think. I knew where she was coming from, sure; but that didn't mean it was a good idea. I appreciated the gesture, but I didn't want her getting herself killed trying to find out who beat the shit outta me. I managed to distract myself with various things until about 8, when I grabbed my coat and headed out the door to downtown, Venture Tower.

I tried Nat's floor first, but she wasn't answering her door. _Figures_, I thought. She'd probably left right after I talked to her. So I went on up to the penthouse. When I went into the office, LaCroix was sitting at his desk as usual. I tell ya, the guy seems in love with paperwork. I've never really understood, but hey, if that's his thing... Anyway, he seemed pretty confused when he saw me standing there. "I gotta talk to you about Nat," I told him, a little nervous. I've worked for the guy for thirty years or so, but I never got used to actually _talking_ to him. 'S kinda like talking to a king or something. You feel like you're gonna be thrown out for not being _worthy_ or some shit.

"Go ahead," he said, laying his pen on the desk and sitting back in his chair.

"She's _really_ goin' out of her way to find this guy," I said. "She said you put some kind of time limit on her to do it."

LaCroix stared me down for a few seconds before standing. "We made a simple wager," he said finally. "It was _her_ choice to take part."

"Yeah, yeah, okay, whatever, but I think she's in over her head. I mean, she's got Malkavians callin' her all of a sudden, tellin' her to beware some wolf or somethin'..."

LaCroix's eyes narrowed. "Malkavians?"

"Yeah, she said it was that Calvin guy that she met with you a while back."

This time, the surprise was clear on LaCroix's face. "Primogen Calvin?"

"The kook's a primogen?" I asked with a chuckle. "Well, whatever he is, he made her think that she could track down the guy tonight because he gave her some weird hint about a wolf wearing wool and a beauty and a beast... I dunno, it just seemed kinda weird to me, but she wanted to go chasing after it."

"A wolf wearing wool..." LaCroix repeated. He looked down at the desk top, eyebrows knitting together. I just stayed quiet, 'cause it looked like he was trying to concentrate. "A wolf in wool...a wolf in sheep's clothing..." He looked up at me. "Did she go out alone?"

I shook my head. "She said she was takin' the new Tremere kid with her for protection."

LaCroix's jaw got tense, the look in his eyes making me step back instinctively. I knew better than to tangle with a vampire when he's mad, especially this one. "Did she say _where_ they were going?" he asked, his voice contrastingly calm compared to his face.

"No, she didn't know yet."

He sighed and came out from behind his desk. "We need to look for them. If my intuition is right, she's already in trouble."

"Wait, what? I don't get it."

LaCroix turned to me as he reached the office door. "A sheep in wolf's clothing, Mercurio. She trusts Blake because he's Kindred _and_ one of Strauss's. _He_ would be the one in the best position to harm her out of anyone tonight."

"Aw, fuck," I muttered, rushing out alongside LaCroix.

When we reached street level, we both kinda just looked around, not sure where to start. Nat wasn't one for planning, and I was _really_ hating that now. My phone began to go off, and I dug it out of my pocket. I thought it was going to be someone asking where I was, why wasn't I at my apartment when_ they_ needed something. Caller ID said it was Nat. "Nat?" I said out loud to get LaCroix's attention. It worked. I saw him look over at me suddenly. "Hello?" I answered the phone. A lot of muffled noises came through the line. "Nat?" I asked. I could hear a muffled voice, but it was hard to make out what it was saying.

I put it on speaker phone as Nat began to speak, her voice a little clearer. "He's the most powerful Kindred in the city. No one should get on his bad side."

Then the other voice again, hard to make out. "...You're not..._love_... You...power he has."

I glanced at LaCroix as we both listened. He was frowning deeply, staring at the phone in my hand. Nat's voice came through again. "That's not it at all, Blake." My eyes shifted to LaCroix's again, and he glanced at me too. We'd both caught _that _name.

There was a long pause, more muffled sounds, then Blake's voice again, easier to make out this time as if he'd come closer to the phone. "You want to stand up here next to him the next time he's got some big announcement to make, soaking up the feeling of everyone's eyes on him, don't you?"

"The theatre," LaCroix said instantly. "Come on."

I followed LaCroix, still listening to the conversation coming through the line. "Where the fuck are you getting this, Blake? What's _wrong _with you tonight?" She sounded scared, making _me_ scared for her. I heard Blake's voice some more, but he was talking too low to make out words. Then Nat again. "Yeah, 'cause I feel _really _safe right now. And we're _dealing _with the ones that want me away from him."

"Turn it off," LaCroix demanded. "We've heard enough."

"But-"

He shot me a glare over his shoulder that made me end the call. We reached the theatre faster than I would have expected with just walking. LaCroix opened the door at the side of the building slowly to keep from making any noise, but I was pushing him to move faster when I heard Nat screaming from inside. He heard it the same time I did and began to run towards the stage. "Blake!" he yelled. I saw the Tremere kid spin around, blood all over his chin. LaCroix was blocking my vision at first, but a step to the side let me see Nat lying on the stage motionless. I was going to go over to her, but LaCroix caught my sleeve and pulled me back. "Sit down and _don't move_," he commanded, and I got confused when Blake did exactly as he was told. LaCroix looked at me for a split second then let go of my coat.

I ran over to Nat and noticed how pale she was. I caught Blake's eye as I frantically felt for a pulse on Nat's neck. "You fuckin'..." I couldn't feel anything. I leaned down and put my ear to her chest. No heartbeat. "You little _prick_, you _killed _her!" I lunged at the guy, taking him down and beginning to pummel his face with my fists. LaCroix pulled me off him, easily throwing me backwards onto my ass.

As Blake got back up, LaCroix took hold of his shirt, getting right in his face. "You. Will sit down. And stay there. Until I tell you otherwise." As soon as he let go of Blake's shirt, the kid did exactly as he was told. LaCroix knelt next to Nat's body, putting his hand on her cheek. "Did you give her your blood?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at Blake. The kid shook his head, somewhat jerkily like he didn't want to but had to.

I got to my hands and knees and crawled back over to where Nat and LaCroix were. "She's dead, isn't she?" I asked, my voice shaking. My only family that I could talk to... I _hated _myself for getting her into this shit.

LaCroix nodded, still looking at her. He looked at me then with a frown on his face. "I didn't want it to have to be this way," he said softly. "I'd planned differently."

"Planned what?" I asked in monotone. I was getting that numb feeling. You know, when something bad happens, and you just can't handle it, so your body starts shutting down until you're flying on auto-pilot? That's what was happening to me right then.

"Her Embrace was to be under different circumstances." Touching Nat's cheek again, LaCroix looked back to her. "Kindred should be Embraced in comfort. Luxury." I hardly had a chance to think about what he was saying until he bit down on his wrist and held it above her lips. His other thumb gently opened her mouth, letting his blood drip into it. I knew it would bring her back, but I kinda hated that it had to be like this. I'd never get to see her in the day anymore. She'd always been a pretty girl, like her mother. I guessed she still would be, but she wouldn't be able to sit in the sun and read anymore like I knew she liked. But, it sounded like this was what she wanted in the long run...

When LaCroix took his wrist away, Nat's eyes still didn't open. But she turned her head to the other side and lightly groaned. I had to squeeze my eyes shut to keep from crying. Last thing I wanted to do was fuckin' tear up around the big man. "She ain't movin' much, boss," I said once I gathered myself.

"She'll be fine," he said getting to his feet and turning to Blake. "Why did you do this?" he asked, his voice louder now.

The kid scowled at him, jaw trembling. Again, it looked like he was putting effort into resisting the action of talking, but couldn't. "She had to die," Blake said, his voice strained. "She was in the way."

"The way of what?" LaCroix said, kneeling in front of Blake and coming to eye level.

"Getting...in th...in the way...of...m-my sister's happiness."

"Who is your sister?" Blake's whole body was shaking after LaCroix asked that question. He _really _didn't want to answer that. His body convulsed, and he vomited blood down his front. I had to look away myself. It was a gruesome scene. I heard LaCroix ask again, "_Who _is your sister?"

"Samantha Xavier," was the answer, blurted from his mouth as if the words had been vomited like Nat's blood.

The theatre was silent. LaCroix didn't say anything, Blake wasn't saying anything else, Nat was still unconscious, and I barely even dared to breathe. Finally, I heard LaCroix say very quietly, "Go back to Strauss. Tell him to see me as soon as he's able. You will _not _leave the chantry until you hear from me." Blake glared at him, but he got to his feet and walked out. LaCroix's face was like stone as he gently picked up Nat, then directed me towards the door with a nod of his head.

"You think he's gonna do what you told him?" I asked quietly.

LaCroix gave me a cold glare but nodded. "He doesn't have a choice in the matter." I didn't want to risk my neck just to ask what he meant, so I stayed quiet after that.

We used back alleys to get back to Venture Tower, and we went in through a back door to avoid security. When we got into the elevator, LaCroix directed me to get us to the 56th floor. "Nat's apartment's on the 55th," I said, confused.

"You think I'm not aware of that?" he snapped. "56th floor. Now."

I pushed the button and glanced at Nat while the elevator moved up. She was pale, not breathing, limp. I wished she'd at least move again so I could know she was okay. "You sure she wasn't too far gone?" I asked.

"She was still warm," LaCroix answered. "It takes a few hours sometimes." When the elevator stopped, LaCroix stepped out; but he turned around to talk to me before I could. "I'll handle her from here. She'll be thirsty when she awakes. I'll let you know when you can see her."

I nodded, knowing better than to argue. Before the doors closed, I took one last look at Nat. Poor kid.

* * *

_**LaCroix**_

The girl felt as if she barely weighed a ounce as I carried her to the bedroom. As I lay her on the bed, I tried to consider how to approach this new development. I had known our ruse would bring out the jealousy in Samantha, but to have her go this far! I gently touched Natalie's cheek, and she turned her head towards my touch as if drawn to it. My teeth clenched seeing her like this. All that planning, ruined. Even if Samantha hadn't won this war she began, she _did _manage to take something away from Natalie: the experience of being Embraced pleasantly. I'd wanted to give her something I hadn't had. _Détruit_.

I pulled the bed covers up over her and left the room, turning out the light and closing the door behind me. My teeth gritted together, and I realized my rage was beginning to give me a headache. It was something I was constantly trying to control, it seemed. All Kindred have to fight the Beast inside, but mine reared its grotesque head more often than I liked. I walked to the fireplace to watch the flames for a few moments. I've never been able to explain my penchant for fire, other than the fact that it felt that I better understood how my rage was consuming me like an inward flame when I watched it. It helped, for I was able to then quench it rather than allow such total consumption.

_Now, to the problems at hand. Where to start?_ Once again, everything was tumbling down like a waterfall of chaos, and _I'm_ supposed to make sense of it all. Natalie would awaken in a couple of hours, I knew; and she'd be thirsty for her first drink of blood. With that in mind, I called to my personal "vintner," the Ventrue who had managed to breed and collect some of the best vintages of blood I knew of in the United States. She promised me that she'd bring by some bottles within the hour. She also made sure to remind me that I _owed _her for going out of her way all the time. I assured her I was aware and left it at that. As if I were one to overlook a debt...she could wait a little longer for _that _assumption.

The matter of blood for Natalie was taken care of. From there, I remembered that I needed to speak to Strauss. He hadn't yet contacted me, a matter of little concern. He was probably still trying to determine _why _this new apprentice of his was delivering orders from me and hiding in his room. The image brought a small smile with it. I knew Tremere could use the powers of domination just as Ventrue could. We Ventrue, however, were more the masters of it. It would be some hours before he'd be able to pull the answers he wanted from Mr. Xavier. This fact didn't trouble me. Strauss could wait for the time being. The next night, I'd be meeting with the Ventrue elders, the next problem in my line of thoughts.

I'd been planning on meeting with them to inform them of my intent to Embrace Natalie _before _the Embrace was complete. The forcing of my hand might appear rash to them. After all, what did _they _care if she was as good as dead? "Sentiment made you feel forced to Embrace her," they'd say. "You wished to save her life due to your weakness for her." But that wasn't it at all. More to the point, my own damned _pride _made me Embrace her then and there on that stage. I wasn't about to let Samantha take my plans away from me like that, especially since Natalie's death was apparently _exactly _what the bloody female wanted. So did I, then, Embrace Natalie only out of spite? No, because her Embrace was in my plan all along. The circumstances are what changed out of my control.

But my thoughts had rambled off track. I needed to formulate what I'd be saying to the elders the next night. They would have to learn of her Embrace, and they would demand to know _why_ I had gone ahead with it before meeting with them. I scoffed at this thought. I am _Prince_. I need no _permissions _to Embrace. A matter of little concern, then. I would tell them that I was confident in her abilities to be a proud Ventrue and in my ability to train her to be as such. Only to myself would I admit that I still had doubts about her. She drank of my words like the finest wine; yet it was hard to _teach _her, it seemed. The moment an opportunity to act on impulse presented itself, she was running after it like a bloodhound chasing a rabbit's scent while tracking a fox. Oh well. It would come in time, I hoped. I was not looking forward to her _Agoge_. I needed to explain to her beforehand that it would not be easy, and that I would not be going easy on her. By tradition, I couldn't. That reminded me of something as well: I needed to tell her exactly what this process was. But I wouldn't worry about that immediately. I still had three or four nights before needing to concentrate on that. In the back of my mind, I was reminded that some in these nights decided to forgo the _Agoge _altogether and were still accepted into the clan somehow. I quickly decided against it. Tradition demanded this to be done right, and I would see that my childe had the right training and background to be a proper Ventrue. It was a matter of pride, if nothing else.

A phone call dragged me from my thoughts. My vintner had arrived. Casting only a short glance at the bedroom door, I left the suite to collect the blood she had brought and to fend off any of her favors for which she decided to ask. As I'd decided earlier, she could wait for me to repay my debt to her just a little longer. She needed to learn not to be so demanding of a Prince.

* * *

Within the half-hour, I was able to tuck away three of the four bottles I'd been brought, leaving one out on the table in the sitting area. Another glance at the bedroom told me that Natalie had not yet awakened. Some urge I couldn't name prompted me to quietly open the bedroom door to look in on her. She hadn't moved since I'd laid her there, but that was no surprise. Sleep was really the only time Kindred were known to be as still as the dead. Leaving the door open, I slipped into the room, letting the light from the kitchen fall across her. She looked better with this pallor, I decided. Her skin was like porcelain without the living blood flow beneath it, giving her lashes a dramatic darkness as they lay on her cheeks.

I brushed her hair away from her face, letting my fingers touch her skin lightly. Her temperature had evened out. To any mortal, she'd probably feel cold to the touch. Heat and cold meant little to Kindred, though she reminded me of what fire felt like with her kiss. That small memory made me clench my teeth again, willing away the twisting in my abdomen. I left the room quickly, leaving her to sleep. It wasn't the fact that a _mortal _had awakened the fleeting memory of what excitement a kiss could bring. It was the other memories the kiss brought with it that I cursed. My bedchamber hadn't looked much different than the one I currently had when I'd drunk Layla's blood.

I closed my eyes against that new churning feeling her name started. That longing would never go away until either she died or I did. Too many times I'd laid awake after sunrise, considering very seriously the option of seeking her out and killing her, just so I could be rid of this. I always came to the same conclusion, though: I couldn't. Because of the fact that her blood had crossed my lips—twice, no less!-, I'd never be able to bring myself to kill her. Gritting my teeth, I crossed to the sitting area and sat on the couch, resting my head on my hands. Natalie had wondered why Layla felt so much hatred for me. I didn't. I knew it was because I'd gotten that third taste of my own blood into her, fully binding her to me before abandoning her to the fate her sire built for them both. If I hadn't found out about Ingram's plans at that point, I probably would have taken my own step into oblivion, ruining myself for the sake of something as inconsequential as _love_.

Such idiocy. I wasn't making the same mistake with Natalie. She was the perfect one to take care of this problem. Granted, I hadn't expected the blood bond to bring out this affection from her in such a way; but perhaps it was for the best. After all, if it hadn't been for her, I wouldn't have begun to entertain a plan to rid myself of my own bond. Her love for me would be the perfect tool, the perfect motive. She'd met Layla sooner than I'd liked, but she knew very little of the details. I'd keep it that way until she was fully indoctrinated into the clan. Until I had a chance to get her even more attached to me. I knew the bond was strong enough for her to do anything I asked of her, but playing on her emotions as well would make the plan foolproof.

A small part of me wondered if I'd have the urge to drink from her after Layla was out of the way, but I buried that possibility deep down in my mind. _Never again. _Betrayal was not something I took lightly, especially when it was only allowed because of my own sentimentality. It was why I never allowed myself to gain sentiment towards anything or anyone ever again. It was weakness, and I couldn't afford that, especially with my place as Prince of Los Angeles now. But Natalie's blood was some of the sweetest I'd tasted, even if it had only been a few drops... I licked my lips just from remembering her flavor. Next to her, my vintner's finest paled and tasted like how I'd imagine dog's blood to taste. I knew that arousal could make a mortal's blood taste stronger, sometimes sweeter. Natalie's, after the hold of a slight seduction had taken her, though...there was nothing like it that I'd ever tasted. _Perfect _didn't begin to describe it.

My fingers clenched in my hair in frustration just thinking about it. Taking her blood, tasting every last _drop _of it was to be _my _privilege! Instead, that _Tremere _whelp had stolen that from me! I'd not have that opportunity again unless I _did _allow myself to be bound to her. Well..._one _drink couldn't hurt, yes? After all, she was completely bound to me. Permitting the slightest bond of myself to her...that couldn't cause problems like the last time, could it? After all, I'd been working on my self-control ever since then, over sixty years! Surely, I'd be able to handle the slightest touch of a bond for just one more taste of her...

_Weakness. Sentiment. _I groaned, rising from the couch and going to the piano. This _girl_...my new childe... I just had to admit it. _She _was a weakness for me, one of which I was unwilling to let go for the time being. Now, after this night, it was assured that her lifespan had every possibility of being as long as my own. How long would I let myself be tortured by knowing the taste of her blood and being unable to drink from her when she's _right there_? After her _Agoge_, I could set her free to be on her own. I had no doubts, though, that she wouldn't go. She'd stay by my side, the unfortunate side effect of the blood bond. _Unfortunate _only because_ I'd _be the one trying to deal with this temptation I felt even now. She could drink from _me _as often as she wanted. That thought sent a chill through me, making my eyes close. The feeling of her drinking from my wrist was always euphoric, especially knowing that she felt the same. To feel her new fangs pierce my lips as mine had hers a few nights previous, or—better yet—my neck... Another shiver took me, making me take a short breath in. Reflex never left, even when oxygen was no longer needed to survive, only to speak.

My hand touched my neck lightly, remembering a different set of fangs plunging into the skin there as my hands caressed the naked body beneath my own. A frustrated growl erupted from me, some of the rage that seemed too often to be right under the surface. If Kindred _must _exist, why are we damned to keep this _human _form? Too many unwanted memories and tempting sensations stayed alive because of it, dangerous urges that could bring one's immediate downfall just for the sake of passion. Trying to clear my mind, I laid my fingers to the keys of the piano, trying to recall the notes I'd played so long ago, before Natalie, before Layla, before New York, before London, before Africa, before _everything_... The music began to ring through the room, instantly calming me. These were better memories, before things had been made so complicated by my ambition. Ambition ran in the blood of all Ventrue. Natalie would be no different.

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**A/N: "_Détruit." = "Ruined." _At least, so sayeth the grand intarwebs in my computer. Please correct me if this is wrong so I can edit. ^_^;**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Another LOOOOOOOOOOOONG chapter, the longest yet in fact. Thanks so much to my readers; and I bow to my reviewers for their encouragement, especially when I'm biting my nails after posting a chapter I'm unsure of (specifically the last two...). All of you are AWESOME! A very special thanks to Loving Companion Cube for taking the time to advise me in regards to a portion of this chapter when I felt the need to pick her brain. ^_^  


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___**Natalie**_

The first thing I felt when I woke up was confusion. Why was I waking up? I didn't even remember falling asleep. I couldn't remember what the fuck had happened, actually. The second thing I felt was a dull, steady ache in my head. It wasn't the normal pounding headache, just a constant, painful pressure. The third thing I noticed, the last before opening my eyes, was the light scent of LaCroix's cologne. I opened my eyes and saw that the room I was in was dark. I could make out a door just barely, light filtering in around it though the tiny cracks. Turning over onto my side, I figured out I was in a bed, smooth satin sheets around me. The scent of cologne was coming from his pillow. _Wait...I'm in LaCroix's bed?_ I thought with a jolt. _How the fuck...?_

I sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and instantly being hit with a wave of dizziness. With a groan, I put a hand to my head, trying in vain to make the pain and dizziness stop. _Migraine,_ I thought. _I must have passed out somewhere because of a migraine. I don't know how I wound up **here**, but that's the only real explanation for it._ That realization made me think twice about leaving the room, especially with the light coming from outside it. But I only then noticed how thirsty I was. My throat felt like it was sticking together; and my mind was only on getting something to drink, as if that would fix all my problems.

As my senses were slowly filtering back to me, I began to hear soft piano music coming through the door, sounding slow and melancholy. It brought a little smile to my face, figuring it had to be LaCroix playing. The music brought me to my feet, and I closed my eyes against the pain in my head as I felt around for the door handle. I opened the door quietly, but let out a groan of pain as the light assaulted my eyes. The music stopped as soon as I let out a sound, and I heard footsteps on the wood flooring as my knees collapsed under me. "You're awake sooner than I'd expected," I heard LaCroix say softly. I felt a hand under my chin, bringing my face up. "Open your eyes, you'll adjust." His voice alone somehow soothed the pain in my head, and I did as he told me to. My eyes were met with his own, studying me curiously. "You must be thirsty," he said, his other hand gently brushing over my hair.

I nodded slowly. "How'd you know?"

He didn't answer, instead helping me to my feet and letting me regain my balance by holding onto his arm. Slowly, he led me over to a couch and eased me down onto it as if I'd break. He walked to the other side of the room, but I stared at the floor as some memories began to come back to me. _I'd been with Blake,_ I remembered. "Where's Blake?" I asked.

There was a pause, and I heard something like a bottle being uncorked. "Mr. Xavier should be back at the chantry by now," LaCroix said coldly.

"Mr...wait..."

LaCroix walked back over to me with two crystal goblets in his hands. He handed me one, then sat down next to me. "You don't remember," he said, not asking a question.

I looked down at the goblet. I'd seen this liquid before, and I knew it wasn't wine. Still, it made me lick my lips. I shook my head in answer to his question, then the smell of the blood hit me. I raised the goblet to my lips and drank greedily, gulping down the entire glass. Licking my lips, the realization of what I'd done hit me. And it didn't have the same effect as LaCroix's blood, so I knew it wasn't his...he'd never let me have _that _much anyway. It was sweet and coppery and warm, and it made me feel like I could fly. But I knew it was human blood. Somehow, deep down, I just knew. I licked my lips again as I looked at my glass, watching the blood residue slide down the sides and collect at the bottom. LaCroix gently took the goblet from my hand and replaced it with the other he'd brought. Without a thought, I drank that one down as well, sighing as the warmth spread through my belly and torso, out into my arms and legs. My head wasn't hurting anymore, and I wasn't dizzy.

"Mr. Xavier-_Blake_-killed you," LaCroix finally said after I'd finished the second glass of blood. "He apparently was assigned to get rid of you for his sister."

_His sister..._ Calvin's hissing voice came back to me after LaCroix told me that. I looked at him with wide eyes. "Samantha?" I asked.

LaCroix nodded. "Yes." He sighed, taking the second empty glass from me and standing again. This time I followed him to the table where there was a bottle of blood sitting open. He poured another two glasses, handing one of them to me. "I don't know who his sire was, but Mr Xavier obviously didn't learn much from him considering his haphazard manner," LaCroix said, watching me drink this third glass of blood, more slowly this time.

I closed my eyes and licked the blood from my lips, savoring the flavor. "Blake said his sire was killed," I remembered. I opened my eyes and looked at LaCroix. "If Blake killed me, did he also...sire me?" I asked cautiously, not really wanting to hear the answer.

To my surprise and relief, LaCroix smirked. "Thankfully, no. I don't know if he'd had plans to, but he hadn't done anything but drain you of blood by the time Mercurio and I found you."

"So, then..." I looked into my glass and swirled the blood around a bit, beginning to smile. "You must have made your decision."

"I had," LaCroix said. "But I'd _hoped _the occasion would be more suited to the siring of a new Ventrue. Not a forced act of desperation." He replaced the cork on the bottle before giving me a sideways glance. "Why did you go out tonight, Miss Lucas?" he asked.

I finished the blood in my glass before answering. "I felt like it was my last chance to find the person who attacked Mercurio."

"You had all the time in the world to do so, and you knew it," he said with admonishment in his voice.

"I didn't _know_," I argued, looking up at him. "You were making me sweat it out for another twenty-four hours, and I didn't know if you'd say yes or no!" We stared at each other in angry silence for a few moments before I gave it up. "So what happens now?"

"I go before the elders again next night," he said softly. "I'll inform them of your Embrace and try to reassure them that you'll be a good addition to the clan. I've still yet to decide if I'll take that opportunity to mention Samantha's plot."

I scoffed, studying my reflection in the shiny marble-topped table. Reflection...huh, guess that answered _that _question. "What good would that do?" I asked, a little surprised by the amount of bitterness in my voice.

"Stop and think about it for a moment," LaCroix said. "Try to answer your own question."

I looked up at him and was about to ask why, but the look on his face was more hopeful than anything. He was trying to teach me to use my brain, I realized. So, I thought. Bringing up Samantha's plot to the elders of the Ventrue clan... "She acted on jealousy. Brash emotion," I said slowly, glancing up at LaCroix to see if I was on the right track. He wore a slight smile, confirming that I was. "And besides that, she acted against a Prince..." I began to smile myself. "Yeah, I can see where they'd be less than happy to hear about that. But where's your proof?"

"Sitting in his room at the chantry, if my guess is correct," LaCroix said with a chuckle. Yeah, he was definitely pleased with my answer, making me feel like I was glowing. He took a drink from the other glass this time. He glanced towards the windows, the sunshades pulled down over them. "Sunrise will be coming shortly," he mused before looking back to me. "You'll be staying here for at least the next couple of weeks," he announced before taking another drink from the glass.

"Here? You mean, in your apartment?" I asked. He nodded. "Why? I mean, I live _right _below you."

He picked up my glass with his and took them into the kitchen. I smiled a little at the domesticity as he rolled up his sleeves to wash the glasses out. "We have a few nights granted to us to get you accustomed to being Kindred. Fortunately, with your knowing more about Kindred than the average human, most of that time can be spent in a relaxed manner. You _will _be coming with me when I speak with the elders, though you won't be sitting in on our meeting." As he dried his hands, he shrugged. "Aside from that, the reason for your residing here is so I can most easily supervise your initial training. It's tradition. The sire and childe are separated from the rest of the world for at least a week's time, often longer, until the childe can satisfactorily pass the tests that she'll be facing upon presentation." He turned to me, somewhat stone-faced. "I will give you this warning now: the period of training is _brutal_. I won't be going easy on you, and you won't find the learning process easy whatsoever. You must separate yourself from your emotions during this time. I refuse to deal with a childe who breaks if I raise my voice. And if you're unteachable, you _will _be expected to keep your side of the bargain." He raised an eyebrow at me, and I nodded. I'd thought that the hard part would be making him decide to Embrace me. It was beginning to sound as if I was wrong about that.

"I'll manage," I said with a smirk. "If you yell at me, I'll just yell back."

LaCroix frowned and walked over to me, stopping mere inches from me. "_That_, Miss Lucas, will earn you a week of thirst," he said in a low, threatening tone. "You will be submissive to me and my instruction, else you pay _dire _consequences. I have no doubt you'll discover what some of those consequences are just due to your current bad habits, but they'll be worked out of you in the process. That's what this will be for. Remember that _I _will be providing for you everything from blood to sleep. A misstep may deprive you of anything that I may be generous enough to supply. Am I understood?" I nodded, swallowing hard. "Good." He placed a hand on my shoulder, and his expression seemed to soften a bit. "Keep my warnings in your mind. In the next few days, they'll be the only reminder you have. I'll not be giving second chances." His hand moved to my jaw, and he swept a thumb over my bottom lip lightly before he let me go and walked past me into the living room.

I followed after him and said, "You said that you'd hoped my Embrace would be different. What were you planning?"

He stopped and turned to me. "It's hardly worth mentioning now. It's not something that can be revised."

"Yeah, I know, but I'm curious." I smiled at him. "What's an Embrace befitting a Ventrue?"

Barely shaking his head, he turned around again, walking to the piano. "It depends on the sire and childe in question. For _yours_...well, you're one who is fond of..._romance_, I suppose, yes?"

I walked over to a couch that faced him and sat down. "I dunno. I guess so. I mean, most girls are, I think."

He smirked as he sat down at the piano. "So wouldn't you expect me to use that against you in the case of a more _private _and coordinated Embrace?"

I chuckled, crossing my legs and relaxing into the couch. "Another seduction, LaCroix?" I said in a teasing tone. "Come on, I wouldn't fall for that old trick so easily again."

He chuckled as his fingers began moving on the piano keys. The music was soft, the same melancholy tune he'd been playing earlier. "Who said anything about having to trick you with it?" he asked. He looked up at me. "You would have been aware it was to happen that way. I'd planned on presenting it as a private rendezvous, a special dinner brought up for you, candlelight, no masking of my intentions. You would have been aware of the impending outcome before stepping foot into this room."

The image of such a night with LaCroix was a little touching and somewhat sad as well. He'd planned on giving me everything a girl could want, and... "I appreciate the thought," I said softly.

"Hm. Well, the _thought _is all I have to offer. As I said, the circumstances of your Embrace can't be revised now."

I stood and walked over to him, placing my hands on his shoulders from behind. "Who's to say we still couldn't share a night like that?" I asked, leaning down to speak into his ear.

He stopped playing but didn't look at me. "What would be the point?"

That stung. Still, I wasn't going to give up. I knew how he thought of emotional attachment and all that, but my new status as Kindred didn't mean I suddenly found him any less attractive. I was just supposed to overlook that suddenly? Fat chance. "The _point _would be the fact that I know we'd both enjoy it. You said yourself that you would have missed this." I let my lips brush against his ear and travel down his neck as far as I could before being blocked by the collar of his shirt. It was enough to draw a sigh from him. "Where am I going to be sleeping anyway?" I asked softly, grinning as I spoke into his ear again. "_Your _bed, perhaps?" My hands slid off his shoulders, down his chest; and I switched to his other ear. "That could lead to some intriguing situations..." I nipped at his earlobe with my front teeth and felt him shudder. For an instant, I thought about trying out my new fangs on his neck; but I was too afraid of getting blood on his shirt, funnily enough.

LaCroix took a deep breath, then said, "Yes, you _will _be sleeping in my bed for the time being; though contrary to what seems to be your initial inclination, Miss Lucas, _I _will not be accompanying you." I pouted and nuzzled his neck with my nose. He was definitely making a point of resisting. His hands closed around mine, and I noticed they didn't seem cold for once. "Miss Lucas..." He sighed. "Sit, let me explain something." Frowning, I let him go and sat on the piano bench next to him. He took both of my hands again. "You're still but a fledgling, so I don't blame you for not yet thinking of this. Blood is _everything _to us. Every minute amount of energy we expend is blood." He paused and looked thoughtful for a moment as if choosing his next words carefully. "Now, considering the amount of energy that mortals put into..._coitus_...can you imagine the strain that takes on Kindred?" He brushed a hand against my cheek and chuckled. "With the fact that you've hardly taken your first drink, you'd hardly survive the experience at which you're hinting."

I grinned. "So you're saying you're _that _good in bed?" My grin turned into a laugh as LaCroix's face showed a mixture of shock, bewilderment, and discomfort. "And it sounds like, if it were _any _other time, you'd definitely be up for it," I pressed, scooting closer to him on the bench, pressing my leg against his. I watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard. Reaching up and placing my hand at the back of his neck, I pulled him into a long, slow kiss. I smiled into it triumphantly when I felt the resistance fade from him, his mouth eagerly returning the kiss. He was the one to pull back, but his lips traveled down my chin onto my throat. One of his hands rested on my upper thigh, the other at the small of my back. His mouth left my skin; but I felt the tip of his nose gently slide up my neck, making me giggle. The touch of his lips right below my ear made me sigh, letting my arms go around his waist. I felt his breath there on my neck momentarily before he pulled back. "Sunrise comes soon," he said softly, his voice a little husky. "You'll feel it. You should go to bed."

I nuzzled his cheek with my nose and felt his sigh again. "I just got up, though," I said with a chuckle.

"It won't matter. We're hard-wired, so to speak. No Kindred can stay awake for long after sunrise without considerable effort."

I felt his hand squeeze my thigh a little harder when I bit down on his earlobe again, making him shudder as well. "So where will you sleep?" I asked.

"Here. Out here. On the couch." His words were clipped as if it was an effort to get them out. I grinned, enjoying the effect I was having on him.

Slowly, I pulled away from him, locking my eyes on his as I stood up. "Care to come tuck me in?" I asked with a wink.

LaCroix took a deep breath, and I detected a bit of annoyance in his eyes. "You can handle that yourself, I believe," he said, turning back to the piano. "Just because the Kindred term for you is my _childe _does not mean you need _act _like one."

Ouch, again. "Fine," I said, raising my chin. "Good ni—er...good _day_, then, Sebastian." I didn't care to see his expression after that. I turned and marched into the bedroom, closing the door gently behind me to make a point. Even though I was pissed at the fact he insinuated I was being childish, I wasn't going to let him know it by slamming doors and proving him right. Looking around, I realized I didn't have any clothes in his suite. Shrugging, I figured I'd just have to sleep in the ones I was already wearing. I lay on the bed with a sigh, closing my eyes. Sleep came faster than I would have ever expected.

* * *

When my eyes opened again, the bedroom door was open though the light was still off. From beyond the closed bathroom door, I could hear the shower running. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I considered going down to my room for clean clothes; but I didn't know if I'd get in trouble if I was gone when LaCroix came out of the bathroom. I decided to go halfway: I'd wait in the living room and let him have his bedroom to himself for a little bit, then ask to go to my suite and pick up some clothes.

The silence in LaCroix's suite always felt somewhat overwhelming. I tiptoed through the kitchen and dining room to the living room before catching myself and making myself walk normally to the piano. I gently touched some of the keys, listening to their clear tones. I cringed as I hit one of the keys a little harder than I'd meant to, sending the sound through the entire suite. Glancing behind me, I saw that LaCroix hadn't crept up on me or appeared in the doorway with a look of disapproval at my goofing around with _his _piano. That fact made me relax a bit and plink away a little more on the keys. I remembered a couple things that my brother had tried to teach me. The pieces of music were simple, but recognizable. At least, they were when I didn't hit a note too high or too low. Every so often, I'd giggle at a mistake or laugh triumphantly when I tracked down the note I'd been looking for. "You're in good spirits this evening," I heard from behind me, making me twist around on the bench. LaCroix was slipping into a dark blue coat of a more modern cut than his usual black, long coat that he always wore.

I shrugged, biting my bottom lip. I'd meant to only play around for a few minutes, not long enough for him to hear my novice attempts at music, especially after he'd been playing so beautifully the night before. It was a little embarrassing. "Did you sleep well?" I asked, grasping at any turn of conversation.

He raised an eyebrow at me as he knotted his necktie. "As well as one could expect," he answered. Changing the subject abruptly, he said, "We'll be leaving in the next hour or so. Go to your suite and make yourself more presentable."

I smiled, glad we were on the same line of thought regarding my clothes. "Should I bring some other clothes up for the rest of my time here?" I asked.

LaCroix was already walking back towards the bedroom and waved me off with a dismissive gesture. "Yes, of course, whatever you feel will be a necessity." As he disappeared into the other room again, I left the suite. I was glad that he didn't feel the need to shadow me. He had faith that I wouldn't try to run. Then again, why would I? He knew I wanted to be near him. Running would be counter intuitive.

I showered and dressed quickly, choosing a business-appropriate skirt and blouse with low heels. After a quick application of makeup, I randomly chose a few pieces of clothing to toss into a backpack to take upstairs with me. My hairbrush, toothbrush, and other essentials joined my clothes; and I remembered to grab my favorite boots that went with anything before leaving my suite. It seemed a little overkill, packing just to be upstairs for a week or so. Oh well. If LaCroix wasn't bluffing about this training I was supposed to be going through, I doubted he'd be letting me out of his suite once it started. I remembered what he'd said about a week of thirst. Yeah, I'd awakened thirsty the night before; but it didn't seem _that _bad. I wasn't exactly tearing my hair out for a drop of blood. Was a longer time going to make it worse? If he was threatening me with it, very likely. This whole process was starting to make me nervous, but I had to get through it. After all, it pretty much meant my _life_. I'd made my wager; now I had to follow through.

Not having a key card to LaCroix's suite, I had to knock on the door when I went back up. The door opened for me, but I heard his footsteps walking away from it as soon as the door came ajar. "Yes, Regent, I'm aware," he was saying, and I finally noticed he was holding a cell phone to his ear with one hand while his other hand was pinching the bridge of his nose. "Regent, I'm not going to repeat myself. This is a _grave _infraction, and I don't believe that Mr. Xavier has been telling you the complete truth in any case." Another pause, and I saw LaCroix's jaw clench as he stood stock still in the middle of the room. "Tonight, I have other pressing appointments which I cannot postpone. If I return early enough, perhaps, but-" His lips pressed together tightly, and I could tell he'd just been interrupted. "Regent Strauss." His voice was lowered, and he drew out the two words as he said them. "I understand your position. I ask you to understand _mine_. The _only _reason I am not pressed to put Mr. Xavier to death immediately is because he did _not_, in fact, illegally sire anyone. I will even admit that I do not _know _if that was his intent. However, that does _not _forfeit the plain fact that he _killed _a woman; and there _are _consequences to be paid. He himself admitted that his murdering Miss Lucas was part of a greater plot to affect _me_. Am I to be expected to let that go?" I slipped out of the room to drop off my clothes and belongings in the bedroom, coming back into the living room to find LaCroix sitting on the couch with his head in one hand, still holding the cell phone in the other. "Yes, I'll contact you as soon as I can find time to join you in questioning him...I'm aware, Regent, you need not repeat yourself...Of course. Until then." Finally taking the phone away from his ear, he fiercely punched the end button. I could see his hand shaking as he gripped the phone tightly.

I walked over to him and placed my hand over his, making him look up at me. "You need that," I said softly, brushing away a lock of his hair that had fallen out of place. "Throwing it across the room or out the window will only set you back even more once you need it again."

His eyes narrowed angrily. "You're implying I'm subject to fits of anger?" he asked, fangs bared. I stepped back, my hands up in surrender. I should have known better than to try to calm him so soon, but I guess I thought my new place as his childe might have changed things. Guess not. LaCroix stood, tucking the phone into his coat. "Tell me, do you think your sire is one to give in to tantrums?" he demanded.

I wasn't touching that one. "I'm sorry, my Prince," I said, trying to think of anything I could do to smooth his proverbial ruffled feathers. "I was merely trying to help. We _do _need to leave, and I can't imagine it would be good for you to present yourself to the elders of the clan in a somewhat..._disturbed _state due to a badly timed phone call from the Regent." LaCroix stared at me for a moment, then sighed. He was still tense; but the argument and accusations had left him, it seemed. _Holy shit, I did it?_ I thought, surprised.

"Come. We're late," he said shortly, leaving me to follow behind him as he left the suite.

In the elevator, I said, "I'm hoping this won't be another overnight trip like your last meeting with them was."

He shook his head, not looking at me. "I had to meet with them in Washington last time. This time, they've seen fit to come to California instead. How generous of them." It took effort for me to keep from smirking at his blatant sarcasm. "However, they _are _showing their love of making me jump through their hoops by setting our meeting in Sacramento instead of coming down here..."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Just to make sure you know your place or something?"

"I suppose. It will take us a little over an hour to fly there."

"Fly? Seriously?"

He finally looked at me, but the look on his face told me I should stop asking questions. "It's either that or a six hour drive." I nodded and shut up. Once out of the elevator, he led me to a waiting limousine that drove us to the airport. LaCroix had a private plane waiting for us already, so we were able to board immediately. The seats on the plane were arranged facing each other; so I was able to sit across from him, both of us in window seats. As soon as we were seated, he leaned his elbow on the armrest next to the window, resting his chin on his hand. I could tell he was pouting but was smart enough to not say anything about it this time.

About halfway through the flight, LaCroix suddenly spoke. "This shouldn't take long. They'll ask a few questions, I'll let them know what the circumstances are and make my promise to present you to them when you're ready. Beyond that, there really isn't much to be said..."

I couldn't really tell if he was talking to himself or to me as he continued to stare out the window at black night. I nodded, just as happy to not have to be witness to any of it. If they could order LaCroix around and make him dance at the end of their leash like this, I couldn't imagine what they'd be able to do to me. Probably make me piss myself in fright.

The flight seemed long, mostly due to the fact that I had nothing to do besides look out the window. Once we landed, I followed LaCroix to yet another waiting limo. He resumed his posture of staring moodily out the window. Unable to stand it anymore, I asked, "Are you okay?"

"I am fine, Miss Lucas," he answered without even a glance in my direction.

I paused just in case he was going to say more, but he didn't. "Just gonna be glad to get this over with?" I asked. I didn't necessarily want to get him into a conversation. I just hated feeling like his moodiness was because of something _I'd_ done, even though I knew I hadn't done anything.

LaCroix sighed, massaging his forehead with his fingertips. "_This_, I can handle," he said. "It's _Strauss _with whom I don't want to have to deal."

"What was that all about, anyway?" I asked. "I mean, I know it was about Blake, but it sounded like the Regent was trying to argue with you."

"He refuses to admit that the proverbial wool was pulled over his eyes by an apprentice who was more knowledgeable than he originally came across," LaCroix said. "Now, I have to go to the chantry and question Mr. Xavier _with _Strauss to prove to him what I've already _told _him."

I frowned. "You're _Prince_. You shouldn't have to prove anything to him."

LaCroix turned to give me a wan smile. "Indeed. But with a situation as delicate as this, especially with the Regent also being the Tremere primogen..." He shook his head. "This is going to be the easier solution over arguing and perhaps involving the entire court in the issue."

"So then what?" I asked. "You both question Blake. Assuming his answers convince the Regent of his guilt, what happens then?"

"I'll take it from there," LaCroix said. The tone in his voice made me refrain from asking any more questions about that. Before I could think about it too deeply, however, the limo stopped outside a tall office building, a skyscraper that reminded me a bit of Venture Tower with more modern architecture.

I followed LaCroix inside and straight to an elevator. He knew what floor to go to. I didn't know if it was something about the way he was carrying himself or if it was just the air of the building that made me feel nervous. It was as if I could sense the presence of the Ventrue elders in the building without even seeing them. LaCroix led me into an office, nodding at a woman at a desk before gesturing to a few chairs set up along the wall. "You'll stay here," he directed me. "As I said, it shouldn't take long." I nodded, sitting down and watching him disappear into a board room further down the way.

I sighed. Again, stuck sitting for who-knows-how-long without so much as a magazine. I hoped this sort of thing was only because I was brand new. A fledgling. Essentially a baby vampire. The image that thought conjured made me laugh silently. I amused myself by following the random patterns on the wallpaper until the door that LaCroix had entered opened, and he came back out. I didn't like the odd look on his face and stood as he approached. "They...they wish to speak with you," he said.

I froze. "Why?"

He shook his head, and I finally pinpointed why I didn't like the look on his face. He was worried. I could have dealt with him looking pissed or annoyed. Worry? Totally foreign. "They wouldn't answer when I asked why they would bother right now without your undergoing any training."

Slowly, we both walked towards the door. I felt as if the door was all that was standing between me and my doom. "Any idea what they want to say to me?" I asked.

LaCroix shook his head. "Just remember that you're speaking to the elders of our clan, and this won't be the last time for you to do so. If you make a good impression now, they may be more favorable towards you when your formal presentation into the clan comes." He opened the door and let me go in first. Not that I _wanted _to...

LaCroix cleared his throat as he closed the door behind us. I remembered what LaCroix had said earlier about separating myself from my emotions during my training and figured now would be a good time to put that into use. After all, fear is an emotion, right? I stood straight, my head held high, my eyes meeting those of each elder at the long table in front of us. Later that evening, I'd think back on this moment and realize how much the lack of a heartbeat had helped. Not being able to feel it crashing in my chest from nervousness kept me from acknowledging how scared I was. Standing beside me, LaCroix said formally, "May I present my childe, Miss Natalie Lucas."

One of the elders took his eyes from me and glanced at LaCroix. "Please be seated, Prince LaCroix." His dark green eyes snapped back to me. "Miss Lucas, if you would stay standing, please..." I nodded once to his request, seeing LaCroix slowly sit in an empty chair at the table from the corner of my eye. I decided it would be best to not even glance at him, relying on myself rather than cues from him. That had to count for something to these guys, right? The green-eyed elder watched me for a few moments before speaking again. "I trust that Prince LaCroix has explained that your...relationship has been out of the ordinary for those within Clan Ventrue."

"Yes, sir," I answered.

"Miss Lucas, it is a concern of ours that you were forced into a situation of being Embraced in order for Prince LaCroix to preserve his own _dignitas_," a different elder said, a female with light brown hair pulled back into a tight bun. "Do you care to comment on this concern?"

I smiled slightly. "I can't say that I was _forced _into being Embraced, ma'am," I answered, instantly wondering how honest the answer was. After all, being killed and subsequently Embraced wasn't exactly a choice I'd been given. "It _was _something about which I'd spoken with Prince LaCroix. He was aware that I wished to be brought into the clan."

"Oh?" The green-eyed elder looked at me, but his expression was blank. "And why was that?"

Without hesitation, I said, "I knew that our relationship had put him into a precarious position due to my being kine. I was willing to give my mortal life for the opportunity to stay by his side and to continue to learn from him while preserving his _dignitas_. The honor of being Embraced into the Kingship Clan...well..." I chuckled lightly. "That goes without saying."

My laughter faded, and the room fell to silence. It took some effort to keep my hands at my side and not shift uncomfortably under their scrutiny. A thin man who looked younger in face than LaCroix leaned forward on the table top to address me. "Why do you feel it took so long for Prince LaCroix to even consider Embracing you, Miss Lucas?" he asked. His eyes were a piercing blue, and his intense gaze combined with the blunt question caught me a little off guard.

"Well...I...don't claim to know precisely the thoughts of a Prince, but..." I shrugged, scrambling for any answer I could think of. "...I think it was because he knew that I was still close with certain members of my family and didn't want to take that away from me, possibly..."

"Your grandfather, is that right?" the thin elder asked.

I hesitated. "My grandfather...no, not Mercurio. I would actually be referring to my brother, back in New York."

The same elder pressed further. "And you willingly gave up that connection for the Embrace?"

I nodded. "I knew the consequences and willingly separated from my mortal connections." It wasn't _entirely _true, considering the fact that my brother still had a way to contact me; but I hadn't informed him of my new address in Venture Tower. I also hadn't checked that email in several weeks, I realized with a pang of guilt that I had to push down to deal with later.

With relief, I saw the thin elder finally sit back in his seat, his interrogation apparently over. The female spoke again. "We're aware that your Embrace occurred just last night, so I will let this be the last question before allowing you both to go back to Los Angeles. If given the opportunity to reverse your Embrace or prevent it from happening, would you?"

I answered instantly. "Never, ma'am. This is what I wanted. I'm looking forward to receiving the best training and guidance a Kindred could ever hope to receive as I'll be shaped into a suitable Ventrue by Prince LaCroix, and I'm eager to move forward with making my own place in the Ventrue clan."

"My apologies, I know Miss Barnes said her last question would be the last you'd have to answer, but I'm curious..." It was the thin elder again. I smiled lightly at him, feeling a little cocky since I'd seemed to satisfy his last barrage of questions. One more couldn't hurt. "What do you feel will be 'your place' in the Ventrue clan, Miss Lucas?"

I had to hesitate with that one. "To be honest, I'm not quite certain yet," I said. "Without embarking on my _Agoge _yet, I'm still a little uneducated on what would be a proper answer to that question. I _had _considered following in my Prince's footsteps someday, perhaps working my way up to being Prince of my own city. Perhaps even here in Sacramento."

There was another short silence during which I wondered if I'd gone a little too far with my last statement. "Miss Lucas," one of the previously silent elders spoke up, a man who looked to have been Embraced in his forties possibly, "perhaps you are unaware that this city is still somewhat contested; though, of course, we _are_ confident that the Camarilla will be taking control soon..."

"Well, when that happens, perhaps I shall be able to take over leadership of the city someday," I said with a grin. I had hoped to draw _some_ sort of reaction from at least one of them, but the Ventrue elders merely glanced at each other.

The green eyed elder who had spoken first stood. "I speak on behalf of my fellow elders when I thank you for your time and responses to our inquiries, Miss Lucas. We'll let you both retire for the night, and we will look forward to your formal presentation."

I bowed respectfully. "As will I," I replied, finally allowing myself to look at LaCroix. He looked serious as he stood from his chair. Wordlessly, he gave the elders his own bow before offering me his arm and leading me out. I glanced up at him but chose to not say anything until we were in the elevator. The moment the doors closed, I asked, "So, how'd I do?"

LaCroix took a deep breath. "You were confident, intelligent, respectful, well-spoken... In my own opinion, you could have hardly been expected to do better. I only hope they hold the same opinion."

I guess that was as good as it could get. "Did you tell them about Blake and Samantha?" I asked next.

He nodded. "They are trusting me to take care of the..._dispute_."

I blinked in disbelief. "'_Dispute_'? They fuckin' had me-"

"I know," he cut me off with a stern look. "But until a Ventrue actually raises her _own_ hand against you, in their eyes, it is merely a dispute that's better handled privately." Looking forward at the elevator doors again, he dropped his voice. "And that's precisely what I plan on doing."

The last part of his statement made me nervous, but I didn't say so. "So now what?" I asked as the door to the elevator opened, and I followed him to the doors of the building.

"Now, we go back to Los Angeles and get you a drink. After that, if there's time, I may head to the chantry."

I climbed into the back of the waiting limo and waited until LaCroix had seated himself beside me to speak again. "Will I be going with you?"

He shook his head, giving me a sideways glance. "No. You'll be studying while I'm gone. It shall only be for a matter of a couple of hours, at most."

"Studying what?"

"History." I made a face at that. _Not_ my favorite subject. LaCroix saw my expression and frowned, his eyes narrowing. "_Ventrue_ history."

"I thought you said my training wouldn't begin for a few days," I pointed out.

"Formally, it won't," he answered. "With these circumstances needing my attention at this particular moment, consider this a head start."

I nodded. The rest of the ride to the airport was spent in silence as was the plane ride. It wasn't uncomfortable, just boring. I was used to LaCroix's not being a conversationalist. It was a small relief to arrive back at Venture Tower. I went into the bedroom to change into jeans and a t-shirt before coming back out into the living room to find LaCroix gathering an arm-full of books from the shelves around the room. "I'm not going to be able to read all those in a couple hours," I said with a chuckle.

"And I don't expect you to," he said, frowning at the cover of one. He glanced at me and said, "I don't suppose you know French, do you?" I shook my head, making him frown a little deeper. "All right, then..." He put back the book he'd been looking at and ran his finger along the spines of others before choosing a couple more. Walking over to the table in front of the living room windows, he laid the books out one by one. "These don't go in any particular order," he stated, brushing dust off his coat. "You have your choice of which to begin reading first. I won't be quizzing you on the material as of yet, but I _do_ want you to begin to get familiar with it. That way, when you _do_ begin training in earnest, you may perhaps be more comfortable with what you're reading and retain it more easily, making the process less painful for you."

I nodded, walking over to the table and glancing at the books. LaCroix walked into the kitchen and came back out with a goblet and a freshly opened bottle of blood, placing them both on the table next to the books. He then began to walk towards the door to the suite. "I guess I'll see you later, then?" I asked. The response was the sound of the door closing as he left. Sighing, I poured myself a glass of the blood and picked out one of the books. I blew dust off the book's leather cover and took it and my glass to one of the couches, curling up to read as I began to sip from the glass.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I'm gonna let Nat read for a while. Let's spy on LaCroix's visit, yes? ;)**

___**LaCroix**_

I didn't bother calling to announce my visit to the chantry. Strauss had the nerve to try to demand a time for this meeting? He could work around _my _schedule. It was good for him to remember with whom he was dealing, especially in a situation as grave as this. During my walk there, however, my thoughts entertained a notion of which I'd not previously thought. My domination of Mr. Xavier had been easy. _Too _easy. Even for a fledgling, something felt off about it. I reminded myself that he _had _drunk Natalie's blood, totally drained the life from her. She _was _my ghoul, fully bound to me. Aside from that, he'd also drunk of Mercurio's blood, my other ghoul, _also _fully bound. A possibility began to tickle my thoughts, drawing a smile from me as I entered the chantry.

The Tremere chantry was a place I tried my hardest to avoid. I preferred to hold my meetings in my own office. At least there, I had no reason to be concerned that the mysterious clan was casting some sort of illusion or trick to attempt to throw me off my guard. As I stood in the entry of the chantry, my eyes moved from the hallway in front of me to the room at the top of the stairs next to me. That room could belong to any apprentice, I knew; but I wanted to experiment a bit. "Mr. Xavier," I called, not too loudly, just enough to be heard through the door upstairs.

The upstairs door opened almost immediately, Mr. Xavier's head appearing. I smiled, my thoughts all but confirmed. Turning my head to look at the wall to my left, I said softly, "Come down here." I heard the door close and footsteps thumping down the stairs. When I looked to my right again, the young Tremere was standing next to me, an angry fire in his eyes. I was right. Due to his drinking from both Natalie and Mercurio, he'd unwittingly become bound to me as well. My domination in addition to that bond had made him unable to resist my commands. "Fetch Regent Strauss," I told him, and I allowed myself to grin fully when he hurried down the hallway without a word. When he returned with Strauss behind him, I smiled again, keeping it more reserved this time. "Go upstairs, Mr. Xavier," I said, my eyes on Strauss. "Wait for us there." Again, the boy did as he was told, closing his door behind him.

"Prince LaCroix, I really must ask that we leave such solutions as domination of my apprentice out of this until-"

I rolled my eyes and interrupted him. "Regent, my eyes were on you, were they not?" I said, inwardly enjoying the flash of irritation that went over his features when I broke in.

He hesitated. "Well...yes...but-"

"Rest assured, I am not _trying_ to dominate him. Rather, he has no choice but to follow my command as long as he is within earshot." I held up a finger to keep him from trying to speak again. "Keep this in mind as we speak with him, Regent. If he had not drunk the blood of _two _of my ghouls in two separate attacks, he would not be bound to me like this, correct?"

Strauss's mouth opened, but nothing came out. After a moment, he closed it again, frowning fiercely. "In that case, I suppose that _you _would prefer to ask the questions, Prince?"

"I had thought that would be the most efficient way of ensuring that we would get only truth from him, yes," I said, growing bored with Strauss. I just wanted to prove the Regent wrong-the bonus blow to his ego being the fact that it would happen in his own chantry—and take Mr. Xavier from this place to deal with him.

"Of course," Strauss said, but I could practically feel the heat of anger roiling off him. "Since it _is _apparent that you have more of an influence on my apprentice than I myself do..."

I chuckled. "Regent, you can't possibly begrudge your Prince a little more control than you hold, even in your own chantry," I admonished gently. "Especially under these circumstances."

The Regent was about to mount the stairs but instead whirled around to face me, his red coat flying out behind him as he did so. "You would do well to please remember the sanctity of the apprentice/Regent relationship within the Tremere clan, Prince LaCroix," Strauss said in a low voice.

My eyes narrowed in response. He dared to attempt to intimidate _me_? I stepped closer to him, looking him in the eye. "And you would do well, Regent Strauss, to remember with whom you are speaking. Your attempt at intimidating a Prince won't be forgotten, nor will it be taken lightly should you choose to act on it. You are allowed your chantry in _my _city due to my own graciousness; and I will not hesitate to remind you that I can contact your Lord at any time to replace you as regent of this particular chantry, banishing you to some lesser slum of a city and finding a suitable replacement for the place of Tremere primogen." I paused for a moment, letting my words sink in. "I am well aware of the Tremere traditions, and I do respect them, but I think you can agree, Regent, that we are not dealing with any ordinary situation here. Your apprentice murdered my ghoul. My _lover_." I stressed the last word though I hated saying it, feeling that giving voice to it made it true somehow or admitted to some weakness. _Sentiment. Just for show. Move past it_. "We will go up to him, and I will ask him several succinct questions to prove to you that my accusations are not unfounded. You should consider yourself fortunate that I'm humoring you enough to go along with this waste of time of having to _prove _myself to you. Once you are satisfied that Mr. Xavier did commit this heinous infraction, I will take him into custody; and you will be able to return your full attention to the other apprentices you have here. Do I make myself clear?"

Strauss looked at me for a moment more, then shifted his eyes away from mine, looking back up the stairs. "Yes, of course, my Prince," he said quietly. "I offer my most sincere apologies for my...indiscretion. I can only hope you understand the stress this matter has put on my shoulders."

I allowed a small smile. "Of course. Now, please, after you." I gestured to the stairs, letting him lead the way to Mr. Xavier's room. Strauss opened the door, leaving it open behind him as he entered to allow me to follow. "Blake," Strauss said, addressing his apprentice who was sitting on the edge of the bed in the far corner of the room. "I apologize if any of this gets...unpleasant."

I glanced around, feeling slightly revolted by the décor. The room was a combination of bedroom and bar, glasses hanging above a bar island lined with stools and a wall of alcohol beyond that. What was the point? Kindred don't drink alcoholic beverages... I heard Blake speak up, "Let's just get this over with."

As I turned to Mr. Xavier, I caught Strauss's eye. He bowed his head slightly and stepped back, showing that he was letting me take charge. It was a small struggle to keep from smiling at that. "Mr. Xavier," I started, the name leaving a bitter flavor on my tongue. "Last night, my associate and I found you in the Nocturne Theatre. Please, tell us what you were doing there."

There was a long pause, and I raised my eyebrow at the Tremere. He was glaring at me, teeth bared. "I...was...I was trying to get Nat to come with me to Vegas."

I glanced at Strauss, who already had a frown on his face. "Did she agree to it?" I asked.

"No."

"What happened when she refused?"

"I...I..." He growled, the sound ending more like a pitiful whine.

I took my gaze off Strauss and turned my full attention to Mr. Xavier, stepping closer to him. "What did you do when she refused to go with you?" I asked, a little more slowly.

His jaw trembled a moment before the words spilled from his lips, "I knocked her to the ground and drained the bitch." He coughed, a trickle of blood escaping his mouth and trickling down his chin.

I looked at the Regent with an eyebrow raised, allowing myself to feel a little smug. "He's trying so hard to resist, he's nearly vomiting again." Turning back to Mr. Xavier, I said pointedly, "Just like at the theatre, isn't that right?"

"Fuck you," he panted, wiping his mouth with a sleeve.

Standing in front of the young Tremere, I folded my hands behind my back, looking down at him. "Now, _why _were you trying to make Miss Lucas accompany you to Las Vegas?"

"Because my sister told me that I'd be able to have her if I got her out of your reach."

I raised an eyebrow. _That _was new. He wanted her for himself, then? "So your sister wanted Miss Lucas out of my reach...why?"

"She said she would have been ruling Los Angeles by your side if it hadn't been for Nat."

Another new piece of information. Samantha wanted _my _city? I glanced at the floor, filing this new development away for future planning. Perhaps this wasn't merely a matter of petty female jealousy, then. "Therefore, the task of taking my lover from me in any way possible fell to you, is that right?"

"Yes." Blake's head hung between his shoulders, his voice tired. His resistance was minimal now. He'd grown too fatigued.

"If you wanted Miss Lucas for yourself, why did you kill her?"

"She pissed me off!" he said, looking up with a bit of that fire back in his eyes. "I tried to be nice, but she told me to fuck off! I figured I'd force her to come with me by siring her."

So that _had _been his plan. My teeth clenched together as I realized how close Mercurio and I had been to being too late. Speaking of... "Were you the one to attack Mercurio in Santa Monica?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"An attempt to scare Nat away from you. Showing the danger involved in being associated with you."

"Were you trying to kill him?"

"Yes."

I sighed, turning to the Regent. "So. He has confessed not only to killing Miss Lucas, but also to planning to illegally sire her, an action stopped only by fate's allowing me to intervene before the Embrace took place." After letting this sink in, I continued, "He has also confessed to attempting to murder my _other _ghoul whose service has been unmatchable for the past thirty years." Turning to Mr. Xavier, I looked at him through narrowed eyes. "Your love for your sister must be quite impressive to go on these murderous missions of hers..."

He glared at me. "I don't give a shit about Sam," he spat. "I wanted Nat. That's _all_. Sam said if I got her away from you by killing Mercurio, I'd be able to come across as her rescuer, taking her in and having her to myself. Since that didn't work, I tried to talk her into coming with me; but she refused. My last option was to force her to run away with me after being illegally Embraced."

I scoffed. "You _actually_ believed that idea could come true? It sounds more like a bad film plot," I said.

Mr. Xavier bared his fangs. "You want a bad movie plot? Look at why I killed my sire: he tried to force me into a blood bond with his daughter, a 'vampiric arranged marriage,' he said. Dipshit..."

Rolling my eyes at this last bit of information, I glanced at the Regent again. His mouth was open in surprise. "I think we have our evidence, Regent," I told him.

Strauss nodded. "Take him. He'll not be welcome in this chantry or any other from this moment on."

"He won't have any need to be concerned with where he's welcome," I said, turning to Mr. Xavier. Making eye contact with him, I forced authority into my voice, dominating him with my words in case he tried to resist. "You will be coming with me, Mr. Xavier. Now." I turned and left then, giving a brief nod to the Regent. I didn't have to look behind me to know that Mr. Xavier was following.

* * *

I took Mr. Xavier up to my office. During our walk back to the tower, I'd made a quick phone call. We hadn't been waiting in the penthouse long when Mercurio came through the door. He stopped short when he saw Mr. Xavier standing in front of my desk. "What the fuck is this?" he asked, his reaction to seeing the Tremere making me chuckle.

"Mr. Xavier is no longer under Regent Strauss's care," I said, standing from my desk chair. "He has been released to me for his...punishment...to be carried out." Giving Mr. Xavier a smile as I passed him, I walked over to Mercurio. "I haven't forgotten your outburst when you discovered Natalie's death, my friend," I told him with a grin. "I figured I owed it to you to take out your aggression first before I lay my own punishment on him."

Mercurio looked at Mr. Xavier for a moment, then back to me. "What, you're serious?"

"Of course. Also...how long has it been since you've had blood?"

"Just the other night, remember?" he answered, giving me a strange look. "After this little prick left me to die."

"Let's make sure it's at full potency, shall we?" I asked. Mercurio began to smile as I bit into my wrist, offering it to him. His eyes were on Mr. Xavier the whole time he drank from me. He took off his coat after I took my wrist from him, and I walked over to one of the couches to sit down just as Mercurio landed his fist in Blake's stomach. The Tremere bent over in pain, and Mercurio brought his elbow down between Blake's shoulder blades. Mr. Xavier fell flat to the floor then. Mercurio roughly rolled him over, straddling the vampire and laying into him with his fists. I watched silently, somewhat amused. Mr. Xavier was getting a beating very similar to the one he'd given Mercurio not even a full week earlier. Oh, how cruel fate can be...

Blake tried to grab at Mercurio's arms to stop his attack, but was unsuccessful. The Tremere let out a roar and kicked Mercurio off him, turning the tables and leaping onto his attacker, fingers closing around Mercurio's throat. I got to my feet and pulled Blake off my ghoul easily but had to block the Tremere's attack on myself with a well placed blow from my forearm against his jaw. "He's nearly frenzied," I quickly told Mercurio, nodding to the far side of the room. He scrambled out of the way as Blake lunged at me again. I was ready for it, fortifying myself where I stood and hardly feeling the fist he landed in the middle of my chest. Such a _mortal _attack. Once a heart no longer beats, the hardest blow there will do nothing. Even _he _should have known that. His blows never slowed, and I moved with careful steps backwards towards my desk. I only struck back when he slipped through my defense with a fist to my temple that caused a burst of stars to cloud my vision for a moment. I returned the blow hard enough to knock him to the ground, but he scrambled back to his feet quickly.

Reaching behind me, I felt the letter opener on my desk and grabbed it, aiming it for his throat as he lunged again. Square hit, it pierced into the hollow of his throat. He hung there in front of me for a moment, suspended mostly by my grip on the letter opener. We were eye to eye for a few moments before I pushed him down against the floor, burying the letter opener deeper until it came out the back of his neck and scratched against the floor. I knelt over him and pulled out the opener, replacing it with my free hand holding him down by his neck. Catching his eyes with my own, I bared my teeth and growled, "Calm. Down." He continued to squirm under my grip for a few minutes before finally being too tired to continue.

Finally, I could see the Beast beginning to calm and leave his eyes. Only hatred remained there. I held up the letter opener in his field of vision. "Take it," I told him, watching his every motion as his shaking hand reached up and took it from me. "Now...you will take the letter opener in your left hand and use it to pin your right to the floor as soon as I let you go." He bared his fangs at me, but I kept my eyes in contact with his. Slowly, I let go of his neck and stood, watching him tremble as he tried to resist my command. He lost that battle quickly, howling in pain as the letter opener went through the palm of his hand and became embedded in the wood floor. "Stay there until I return," I told him before walking over to where Mercurio had been standing on the far side of the room, watching the scene unfold. "Are you all right?" I asked him.

He nodded, his eyes still on Blake. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess so. Definitely better than I was a couple nights ago." Finally looking at me, Mercurio asked, "So what now?"

"I have plans for Mr. Xavier," I told him. "He'll remain here for the next few days until I can bring Natalie up to speed with her training. Hopefully, it won't take too long."

"Hey...can...can I see her?" Mercurio asked, looking hopeful.

"Of course." I guided him out of the office, glancing back at Blake. He was still lying on his back on the floor, his right hand pinned to the wood.

* * *

I opened the door to my suite and let Mercurio enter first. Natalie was on a couch, reading. She looked up when she heard the door open and gasped when she saw Mercurio. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed, jumping up and running to his arms. She pulled back and looked at him, then looked at me, her expression one of mild horror. "What the fuck-"

"Explain it to her, won't you, Mercurio?" I asked before going into the bedroom. At the end of the bed was a chest. I unlocked the padlock keeping it shut and opened it, pulling out an old wooden stake I'd kept as a souvenir from my time in Africa. It was ironically the same one that Thorsten Bach had attempted to use on me before my blade sliced open his throat. After closing the chest and replacing the padlock, I left the bedroom and the suite. Mercurio and Natalie could chat. I still had to take care of Blake and ensure he wouldn't try to escape. He was a primary player in my plan. He couldn't be killed yet. When I went back into the office, I strode to him quickly and knelt over him again. "Rest assured, I'll be keeping you alive until I have need of you," I told him quietly. Showing him the stake, I said, "_This _is merely my insurance policy that you won't slip from my grasp." With a yank, I pulled out the letter opener from his hand. My next move was to thrust the stake through his chest, paralyzing him fully. I lifted him up and carried him to a corner of the office. The blood would leave a nasty stain on the wood, and the letter opener had gouged the flooring something awful. I frowned at those marks, but nothing could be done about it immediately. Oh well. After tucking Mr. Xavier out of the way, I left, grimacing at how much blood I'd gotten on my suit.

* * *

_**Natalie**_

When I heard the door open, I was expecting to see LaCroix there. I _wasn't _expecting Mercurio to be with him. "Oh my god!" I squealed, jumping up from the couch and running to Mercurio. He wrapped me in a big hug, and I couldn't have been happier to see him.

I'd been worried that my being Kindred would make him act weird around me, having an undead granddaughter and all. Instead, he held me close, whispering, "God, it's good to see you alive." I giggled. He was _technically _wrong, but I knew what he meant.

I pulled back, wanting to see his face; but I instantly noticed new bruises forming on him and his disheveled appearance. Turning to LaCroix, my jaw dropped. He was a mess, worse than Mercurio! Blood on his suit, hair out of place, one hand covered in blood... "What the fuck-" I sputtered.

"Explain it to her, won't you, Mercurio?" LaCroix said, his tone casual as if there was nothing to be alarmed about. Without another word, he disappeared into the bedroom.

"Yeah, you're gonna have to explain this one to me," I said slowly, looking back at Mercurio. I led him over to the couch and pulled him down to sit next to me.

He chuckled. "Just...blowin' off some steam," he said with a grin. I narrowed my eyes at him, wordlessly telling him I knew there was more to it than that. "Revenge, I guess," he elaborated.

"Revenge? On who?" If it hadn't been for the blood on LaCroix, I would have thought they'd been going at each other's throats; but that obviously wasn't the case.

"Who do ya think?" Mercurio said with another laugh. I glanced up as LaCroix walked by again, still dressed in the bloody suit but carrying a wooden stake with him. He didn't even look at us before leaving the suite again. "He's got Blake locked up in his office," Mercurio said quietly. "He called me to come down and take my turn with givin' the kid what he had comin'."

"Wait, Blake's up there right now?" I asked, eyes wide. "And...that stake he had..."

"I guess Blake's gonna be here for a bit." Grinning, Mercurio winked at me. "LaCroix's a cruel bastard when you piss him off, I guess." I wasn't smiling back as I mulled those words over in my head. I could only wonder what cruelty_ I'd_ be in for during my training. It was looking worse and worse the more I thought about it. "Hey," Mercurio said, nudging me and bringing me out of my thoughts. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Tired. Close to sunrise. Almost bedtime for us fanged ones," I said with a weak chuckle.

He looked around. "So, uh...you...stayin' here? With him?" I nodded. He glanced around the room again. "Where?"

I held back a giggle at his confusion. "I sleep in the bedroom," I said, knowing he'd interpret that wrong.

He blinked in surprise. "Oh. Sorry, I, uh, didn't mean to _pry _or nothin'..."

I couldn't keep my laughter from bubbling out after that. "He sleeps out here," I revealed. "He's just letting me have his bed for now. It's all very innocent, trust me."

"Uh huh," Mercurio said with a chuckle. He stood as the door opened, and LaCroix came back in. I could have sworn he had more blood on his suit than before. "Well, I'm gonna get goin' and let you two get some rest." He winked at me before turning to LaCroix, offering his hand. "Sir, good workin' with you tonight."

LaCroix chuckled, shaking Mercurio's hand. "And you, Mercurio." My grandfather gave me a little wave before leaving me alone with LaCroix.

I looked at the Prince curiously before speaking. "Okay, I got a little bit of the story from Mercurio, but-" LaCroix began walking out of the room. "Hey!" I jumped up and followed him, narrowly avoiding running into the bedroom door as it slammed in my face. "I was talking to you!"

"And you'll get another chance to do so in a moment," came the response from inside.

I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall next to the door. "It's my room too, ya know," I grumbled. The door opened a few seconds later, and LaCroix came back out wearing a clean gray shirt and black slacks. "You gonna let me talk to you now?" I asked, following him back into the living room. He stayed silent, walking over to the empty bottle I'd left on the table to check if there was any blood left. Seeing there wasn't, he threw out the bottle and walked back to the kitchen to retrieve another. "Fine, ignore me, whatever," I said, flopping back onto the couch and burying my nose in the book I'd abandoned.

A minute or two later, I felt him sit next to me; but I refused to look up. He crooked his finger around the top of the book's spine, pulling it down so I _had _to see him. His hand came up to grasp my chin lightly. "Patience is something I see we'll have to work on as well," he said before bringing his glass of blood to his lips.

I pouted. "You could have just said you were going to change..."

"I shouldn't have to," he said with a chuckle. "I do not work on _your _schedule. I thought we've touched on this before."

"Okay, okay, I get it," I sighed, pulling my chin out of his grasp. "Can you just tell me what the deal is with Blake? Mercurio said you've got him locked in your office."

"_Staked_, not locked," he corrected before taking another drink. "And yes, I do." He licked a stray drop of blood from his lip, nearly making me forget the conversation with that one action. "He will come into play later."

"How do you mean?"

"He will come with us when we visit his sister." My jaw dropped, and LaCroix smirked. "_After _you've finished your initial training, that is."

"So what'll he do until then?" I asked.

Finishing off his glass, LaCroix chuckled. "Very little, I'd venture. He's got a stake through the heart. For a Kindred, that causes full paralysis. He can hardly think, let alone move." Looking down into the empty glass, LaCroix sighed. "I'll supply him with a little blood every day, just to keep him alive until I need him."

"And then?" I asked. "What's going to happen when we take him to see Samantha?"

From the corner of his eye, he looked at me with a small smile. "You don't want me to spoil the fun, do you?"

His tone of voice gave me a chill. A bit of that cruelty that Mercurio had mentioned came through in his words, and I expected Samantha would not be pleased to see us. "Are you going to kill her?" I asked, though it took some effort to say. I didn't really _want _to know, especially since I knew I'd not have any choice about being present.

He looked at me for a moment, his eyes narrowed. Then he barely smiled, as if hiding something. "No. No, I'm not going to kill her." He patted my knee gently before standing and walking back to the kitchen.

"So what, then?" I was confused. Maybe he couldn't do anything to her because she was outside Los Angeles? But, if that was the case, why even bother going to see her? I followed LaCroix into the kitchen where he was finishing another glass of blood.

"_Patience_," he said softly. It still seemed as if he was hiding something, wanting to say something but restraining himself.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Perfectly fine," he said, his voice back to normal. "It's just been a very long night, that's all." He rinsed out his glass in the sink, then turned to me as he leaned on the kitchen counter. "Tomorrow I'll be taking you out to find your preferred blood," he announced.

"Preferred?" I repeated. "What's that mean?"

"Every Ventrue has their preferred blood. Most take this preference so seriously that they physically cannot drink any other kind. A few of us will stray a bit, but only very slightly usually as a result of location or circumstance restricting their preference's availability. Your blood is—_was_-slightly different from the bottled blood we've been drinking these past two nights, for instance; but I'm not negatively effected by either."

"So..." I picked up the bottle from the tabletop, looking at the plain green glass. There was no label on it. "Is this your preferred blood?"

LaCroix scoffed. "That, Miss Lucas, is a question I won't hear coming from you again. It is considered a serious breach in etiquette to ask that of another Ventrue."

I cringed. "Sorry...I didn't know."

"I wouldn't expect you to thus far," he said, his voice a little more gentle. He looked at me for a moment then gave a small smile, jerking his head in the direction of the bedroom. "Go to bed. We'll be leaving right after sunset tomorrow, so I expect you to be ready to leave when next I see you."

I nodded and went into the bedroom as he'd directed. I slipped into my favorite nightshirt and slid between the satin sheets. The pillow was beginning to smell more like my shampoo than LaCroix's cologne. For some reason, I was a little saddened by that.


	20. Chapter 20

I awoke slowly the next evening, stretching and rolling onto my stomach. I threw the covers over my head when I heard a tap at the door, then the sound of the door clicking open. A sigh. "You're _still _sleeping?" LaCroix muttered.

"Just woke up," I said, my voice muffled in the pillow. Pulling the covers down slightly, I squinted at him. The bastard had turned on the overhead light.

"I believe I told you to be ready early," LaCroix said, opening a wardrobe next to the bedroom door and pulling out a shirt on a clothes hanger.

"I _just _woke up!" I said again. I sat up in the bed, tucking the covers under my arms. I was wearing a nightshirt but felt a little awkward wearing _only _that in his presence.

"Hm. Remind me to invest in an alarm clock before we begin your _Agoge_. I'll expect you to be ready in twenty minutes."

"Twen—wait, twenty minutes?" I repeated to his back as he left the room, closing the door behind him. I kicked off the covers and dragged my backpack into the bathroom with me, muttering my displeasure with my tyrant of a sire. Twenty minutes later, I was pulling my hair back when there was a knock at the door. I grinned as I said, "Come in!" I spread my arms wide as the door opened. "Ta-da! Ready to go!"

LaCroix rolled his eyes. "It's a miracle. Go on." He gently pushed me out of the room, his other hand unbuttoning the shirt he'd been wearing since the night before.

"You know, I could help!" I called through the door. "It'd go faster!"

"I highly doubt that," he answered, and I heard the bathroom door close. Chuckling, I went into the living room and curled up with the book I'd been reading the night before. For a history book, it was pretty interesting to see how Kindred society had intertwined with mortals during all the events of history that was taught in schools. I looked up when the bedroom door opened again a few minutes later. For LaCroix, his attire was rather...casual, making me smile. A blue collared shirt, top button undone, gray slacks and a matching sports coat. He actually looked relaxed. "Have you had a drink tonight?" he asked, pulling out a bottle from the cupboard.

I set down my book, confused. "No, I thought that's what we were going _out _for."

LaCroix shook his head as he poured two glasses of blood. "If you go out thirsty, you'll take anything you can get," he explained, walking over and handing me one of the glasses. "If your thirst is somewhat sated, you'll be able to drink for the pleasure and flavor of it, which will allow you to find your preferred blood."

"So how many usually need to be tried before finding one's preference?" I asked before taking a drink.

"One." He drained his glass before speaking again. I smirked while watching him drink. When thirsty, even Ventrue couldn't be dainty drinkers. "You'll know. Your senses are heightened more than they could have ever been while you were human. When you find the one that appeals to you, you'll know."

"Then what?" I finished my glass and got up to refill it.

"You'll feed."

"No shit, sherlock," I said with a chuckle. "But I don't exactly know how to do that."

"It will be natural. The less you worry about it, the more naturally it will come. You'll think like the predator you are." I frowned at him, and he chuckled when he caught my look. "Deny it all you want, but even we Ventrue are monstrous beings. We all must deal with the Beast, and _that _is what separates us from the kine."

I finished my second glass and rinsed it in the sink. "So where are we going?"

"We'll be walking around town," LaCroix said, setting his glass on the counter. "Remember, the more humans there are present, the harder it will be to feed. Yes, you'll have a wider variety from which to choose; but it will be hard to separate your choice from the rest where they won't witness you feeding."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Let's do it, then."

* * *

It took a few hours, but we wound up at the bar at the Empire Arms hotel when I sensed something different about one of the patrons. LaCroix hadn't been kidding when he said my senses were heightened. I'd been nearly suffocated by smoke and perfume in Confession, though I think that fact pleased LaCroix as he looked rather uncomfortable in the goth-themed club. Later, we'd lingered outside a theater where a movie was just letting out, and I was nearly deafened by the different heartbeats surrounding us. Seeing my confusion, LaCroix had taken me over to the wall of the building, away from the crowd, putting up the facade of a lover as he stroked my cheek and nuzzled my cheek, his whispered words being little hints of how to isolate the sounds rather than try to comprehend them all. Not exactly the sweet nothings that I was sure it looked like to everyone else there, but definitely helpful.

When I saw the man at the Empire Arms bar, however, I pretended to need to use the ladies room as an excuse to get close to him. Definitely kine. I could hear his heartbeat, and I could smell the metallic tang of his blood mingling with a light cologne. When I came back and sat next to LaCroix, I was licking my lips in anticipation. "Which one?" he asked. He seemed to know somehow that I'd made my choice.

"Dark hair, black shirt, sitting by himself near the middle," I answered. "I just don't know how to approach him."

"Well, in a setting such as this, seduction is usually the easiest tool to lure someone out of a crowd," he said.

I smirked. "Oh, but I wouldn't want to make _you _jealous."

He returned the expression. "I'll manage to maintain my composure." He nodded discretely towards the man. "Go. I'll keep an eye on you."

For some reason, that comforted me. He wasn't just throwing me to the wolves without supervising. Taking a deep breath, I slid off the bar stool and walked over to the table where my prey was sitting. "Mind if I join you?" I asked, a small smile on my face as I approached him.

He looked up at me with a smile and shook his head. "Not at all. Please, sit down."

I smiled a little wider, pulling a chair closer to him and sliding into it. At this proximity, I couldn't help but lick my lips again. I could practically taste him already. "I'm sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, but I..." I ducked my head, playing shy. "I've been watching you for a little while..."

"Really?" he asked, intrigue in his voice. I noticed his eyes quickly look me up and down. "Why's that?"

I giggled lightly. "I don't come here much," I admitted. "But I think you're probably the first one to stand out in the crowd of rich snobs." I laid a hand on his arm and met his eyes with my own.

"Mm...you stand out quite a bit yourself," he purred, edging closer to me.

Smiling, I licked my lips again a little more blatantly. "It's a little warm in here tonight, I think," I said with a grin. "Care to come out back with me?"

"Definitely." He gave me his hand and helped me up. As we walked to the back door of the bar, I glanced back and caught LaCroix's eye. He nodded once and glanced around, obviously growing bored.

Once outside, the man backed me up against the wall and began kissing me. I inwardly rolled my eyes and pushed him away slightly. When he looked at me, confused, I ran my hand through his hair and smiled. "Slowly, tiger," I whispered, getting a grip on the back of his neck. I pulled him down into a slower kiss, then pulled back enough to start working my way to his neck. It was a little amusing to hear his heartbeat picking up in speed, and I came to realize exactly why LaCroix seemed to enjoy playing with me. It really was pretty funny to hear something that a person wouldn't expect to give away how excited they were. Sliding my other arm around his waist, I eased my fangs into his flesh and tasted his blood finally, moaning lightly at the exquisite taste. It burned going down my throat, almost like a strong alcohol; but it was like tasting fruit from a slowly and delicately cultivated tree. Smooth and warm and intoxicating. I forced myself to stop and ran my tongue over the wound I'd made to close it, remembering that I shouldn't drain him totally. The man was barely conscious, unable to stay on his feet without my support. To my surprise, I was able to hold him up easily and guide him to one of the tables outside. I sat him in one of the iron chairs on the patio, letting him lie on the table top.

As I stepped back from him, it finally hit me. I was _really _Kindred now, a totally different creature from what I'd been three nights earlier. LaCroix's voice behind me made me spin, slightly startled. "Bravo," he said quietly. "Rather well done, though it could be executed faster with more practice." He walked towards me with a smile. "Now, remember to go back _in _with a different door or find a way to not return to that room at all. If anyone was watching you, the fact that you're coming back alone is suspicious. The longer it takes for him to be discovered, the better."

I nodded, looking around. I spotted a gate leading to the parking lot beside the hotel. Grinning, I took LaCroix's hand and led him away from the hotel. "So now what?" I asked, still feeling the effects of the man's blood. I didn't know what it was, but I knew it was strong. I felt stronger and warm all over. It wasn't like drinking LaCroix's blood, because there were no supernatural properties to the human's blood; but the taste was something I'd never forget.

"Now, we can go back to the tower and relax for the rest of the evening."

I chuckled. "Relax. Meaning, you'll be playing piano while I read or something?"

LaCroix shrugged. "You're free to do as you like. Tomorrow starts your training, so I'd suggest that you enjoy tonight to its fullest." I sobered a bit at that. The thought of this training was still intimidating to me. As we approached the tower, I decided to not worry about it. Nothing I could do would prevent it anyway. I'd just have to deal with it one thing at a time and try to not screw up too much.

* * *

Once back in LaCroix's suite, he took off his sports coat and went to hang it up in the bedroom. I, meanwhile, kicked off my shoes and snuggled into the couch. I'd really grown to like his suite. I liked it better than my own, I decided; but that was probably because he had almost always been there _with _me. It wasn't lonely. When LaCroix emerged from the bedroom, I grinned and asked, "So, after you're done teaching me how to be a proper Ventrue, do I get to teach you how to be a proper boyfriend?"

"I beg your pardon?" he said, eyebrows knitting together as he frowned.

I giggled. "Well, with my Embrace, we've practically made this a real thing," I said, grinning at LaCroix's expression. I didn't mean it, of course; but it was fun to mess with him. "We've established that I'm here with you for the long haul. I should at least be able to feel like I'm getting a _real _relationship out of it." I pouted slightly, batting my lashes at him as I tucked my chin against my chest.

LaCroix made a small sound of disgust as he crossed the living room to the window. "You're getting too caught up in this," he muttered.

I sniffed, making my voice crack as I spoke. "Maybe...maybe I want you to get caught up in it _more_..." I faked a sob and couldn't hold back my giggles as LaCroix spun around to look at me. His shoulders fell as if he'd been holding a breath, and he glared at me before turning back to the window. I got off the couch and walked towards him. "Please. I know you better than that, Sebastian."

"You presume so?" he said, barely turning to speak over his shoulder without looking at me.

"Mmhmm. I know you'll keep me around as long as you want to and no longer. By that time, I'll have been Kindred for long enough to survive on my own; and you'll let the rumor that we've 'separated amicably' spread through the Los Angeles Kindred. Boo hoo." I was standing next to him now, and reached down to take his hand. That got his attention finally, making him turn his head to look at me. "Until then," I said softly with a grin, "I guess I'll have to make sure you keep wanting me to stick around."

He smiled a bit at that, his expression sly. "Rest assured, I'm planning on keeping you around for a while. I have big plans for you."

I brought his hand up to my mouth, kissing his fingers softly before leading him back to the couch. Sitting down, I pulled him down next to me and curled up against him, putting his arm around me. "So when will I find out what these big plans are?" I asked, my head on his shoulder as my fingers touched the buttons on his shirt.

"The sooner you're successfully presented to the clan, the sooner you'll find out," he said with a chuckle.

"Why all the mystery?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Because if, for some reason, you are _un_able to be successfully presented, my risk of my plans being exposed is greatly decreased by your not knowing what they are at all."

I smirked. "You're doubting yourself?" He frowned, making me shrug. "Sounds like you're not too sure that you'll be able to whip me into shape," I explained.

"It isn't _myself _that I doubt, Miss Lucas—"

"_Natalie_," I stressed with a chuckle. "Considering the situation, I don't think we need to be so formal anymore."

LaCroix sighed, his jaw clenching for a moment. "_Miss Lucas,_ allow me to give you another tip very similar to the one I gave you earlier regarding a Ventrue's preferred blood." He shifted to look at me more directly, and I had to sit up a bit to look at him. "A Ventrue _never _interrupts another, no matter whether one's social status is higher or lower. To do so is considered _very_ rude."

I ducked my head, feeling bad that I'd insulted him twice that night. "Sorry...I guess I've got some manners to learn..."

"Indeed." He lifted my chin with his fingertips. "But you'll learn fast. I've noticed you take me seriously when the conversation revolves around clan etiquette. That fact is encouraging, to say the least." I smiled, liking the feel of his touch. "Now, as I was saying, I don't doubt my ability to teach you, Miss Lucas. I'm merely uncertain that you'll persevere through the entire process."

Looking him in the eyes, I grinned. "I will," I said, determined. "I wanna stick around, remember? I want to make you proud of me for once." Reaching up, I ran my hand down his face.

This time, it was LaCroix who smiled. "Do you think I've not been proud of you?"

Dropping my hand, I frowned. "I don't know. I mean, I've done stuff for you, yeah; but it's usually just what you tell me to do. Nothing to really be proud of."

"What about last night?"

I smiled slightly. "What about it?"

His thumb was idly brushing along the line of my jaw as he spoke. "You didn't misstep once. You said nothing that would embarrass or dishonor either of us. You didn't mumble or look away. You knew how to react to the situation, and overcame it beautifully. For that, I was _very _proud of you." I didn't even have time to bask in his words before he leaned in and gently kissed me. His hand slid to the back of my neck, and he shifted a bit on the couch to let me put my arms around his waist. I leaned against him, pushing him back against the couch as we kissed. His free hand went around to the small of my back, holding me against him.

Kissing him was a little different now. I couldn't feel my heart pounding, yet breathing was still instinctual. The taste of him was a little different as well. I could detect more easily the taste of blood on his lips and tongue now, and that excited me even more. I wondered if vampires could still produce adrenaline or something, because the effect his kiss had on me was the one aspect that _hadn't _changed. I felt like I had to get closer to him; and I think I surprised him by climbing into his lap, straddling him. Now I was in control a little, my hands on his shoulders as our kiss became more heated. The hand he'd had at the back of my neck crept up to my hair, pulling it loose from the tie I'd used to pull it back. My curls came down around my shoulders, and I felt his fingers tangling themselves at the back of my head.

He fisted his hand in my hair, pulling me back firmly but gently, forcing me to break the kiss. As my head tilted back, his tongue ran from my collarbone up my neck to the curve of my jaw. He stopped, and I felt a puff of cold breath as he sighed. His lips brushed the point where my pulse no longer beat, and the feeling of his tongue flicking against that spot made me moan slightly. The grip he had in my hair loosened, and I felt him lean his forehead against my chest. I giggled, bringing my head down a little to try to look at him. "Trying to look down my blouse, LaCroix?" I asked.

He chuckled low before bringing his head up and sitting back. "No. Forgive me. I wasn't thinking."

Sliding my arms around his neck, I smiled. "Not supposed to think much at a time like this," I said softly.

"I suppose that's true," he murmured, his eyes on my lips. I slowly licked my lips to tease him, biting back a giggle when I heard him sigh.

Leaning against him to press him back against the couch, I began kissing his neck, teasing his skin with my tongue as he'd done to me. His hands were resting on my hips, and I could feel their grip tighten slightly whenever I nipped at him with my front teeth. I was being mindful of my fangs, not wanting to scratch him; but admittedly, the temptation to try biting him was beginning to overwhelm. So much so that I asked, my lips brushing his skin as I spoke, "What would happen if I drank your blood now that I'm Kindred?"

LaCroix took a deep breath, and I could have sworn it was shaky when he released it. "Nothing more or less than happened before your Embrace. It would reinforce the bond you feel. There wouldn't be any..._unpleasant _effect, if that's what you're asking."

I pulled back to look at him, staring straight into his eyes. He wet his lips, his hands gently caressing my waist. "Can I?" I asked softly. Wordlessly, he nodded once, letting his head fall back against the back of the couch. I was surprised that he seemed to want me to. I smiled, feeling a little shy all of a sudden. It seemed more intimate to drink from his neck than his wrist. Maybe it was because I was in control this time, taking what I _wanted _instead of what I was _offered_. His shirt was already unbuttoned at the neck, but I undid two more buttons to loosen it. My fingers brushed over his skin; and I noticed that my hand was still a little tan, even without blood flowing beneath my skin. It stood out against his pale white. I leaned down and brushed my lips against his chest, enjoying the way he barely arched against me when I licked and nibbled my way up to his neck. When I got to the point I felt was best, I opened my mouth a little wider to expose my fangs, closing my eyes as I plunged them into his flesh.

His hands tightened on me even more as a shudder wracked his frame. A moan escaped him as I began to drink, drawing his blood from the wound I'd made. I grabbed his shoulders tightly, his blood making every inch of me tingle. It wasn't warm like the man I drank from earlier in the evening, but it was better in every way. Stronger, more potent. I didn't drink from him long. I'd had my fill earlier, and I didn't want to weaken him. When I pulled back, LaCroix's eyes were closed; and I thought he'd passed out until I saw him lick his lips. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" I asked softly, brushing a hand through his hair.

He shook his head and finally looked at me. His gray eyes almost seemed unfocused. It was the first time I'd seen him looking a little disoriented. "No...not...not at all," he breathed.

"Did it feel good?" I asked, beginning to smile. He nodded shortly, still slightly bleary-eyed. I leaned down and kissed him slowly, my fingers brushing the spot I'd drunk from. I'd licked the wound closed, but it must have still been sensitive, judging by the way LaCroix moaned into the kiss and arched off the couch again. "God, you're only making me want you more," I whispered, my hand playing with his shirt where I'd opened it.

With another shuddering breath, he looked up at me, his eyes clearer now. "This needs to stop," he said softly.

I frowned. "Why? _You're_ the one who said I should make the most out of this night and enjoy it. I can't think of any better way for us to enjoy it."

"I know what I said, but I didn't have this in mind when I said it," he protested, looking down at my hand as I traced lazy circles on his chest.

"So? Scared of a little spontaneity, Sebastian?" I purred.

"Not at all," he said, gently sliding me off his lap but not letting go of my waist. "I...it's clan pride. I can't. Not until..."

I scoffed. "You're kidding. Because I haven't passed your fucking training, all this was fucking useless?" LaCroix's eyes narrowed, but he stayed quiet. Baring my teeth, I grabbed his collar and pulled him down onto me, kissing him hard. He returned it just as eagerly, but pulled back and stood.

"You're angry because I keep our clan's traditions?" he asked, buttoning his shirt.

"According to you, we were _already _fucking," I reminded him spitefully. "At least, that's how it appears to everyone else. What's the problem with making it reality?"

LaCroix sighed, brushing his hair back. "The _problem _is that, in reality, I would _never _engage in such activity outside my clan. And until you've completed your _Agoge_, you aren't part of the clan."

I rolled that thought around in my head for a few seconds before smiling and sitting up on the couch. "So...you've just given me even _more _motivation to succeed."

"What?" He looked startled by my words.

I stood and walked over to him. "If I am successfully welcomed to the clan, everything keeping me from getting you into that bed with me is removed," I pointed out softly, grinning at him.

He coughed. "Perhaps. But I would encourage you to concentrate on the task in front of you, not whatever goal you have your eye on."

"Hard when my goal is my teacher," I said with a chuckle.

"And your _teacher _will soon be the most hated person in your life," he said, eyes narrowing to slits. "Good evening, Miss Lucas," he said, turning and leaving the suite without another word or explanation.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee, mini-chapter! XD This'll be the last time we delve into someone else's mind for a little while. This "mini-chapter" was flying around in my head during work the past couple days, however, so I had to get it down and post it.**

___**LaCroix**_

Natalie got up from the couch and slowly walked towards me. I didn't know if it was due to the kisses we'd shared or my blood, but she was moving more seductively than usual, and my resolve was weakening every moment. "If I am successfully welcomed to the clan, everything keeping me from getting you into that bed with me is removed," she said, grinning at me wickedly.

I coughed, mostly to force myself to speak rather than reach out to her again. "Perhaps. But I would encourage you to concentrate on the task in front of you, not whatever goal you have your eye on," I warned her. I wanted to make her angry or argumentative, to get these thoughts out of her head for as long as I could. I needed her to spit something she considered a scathing insult at me, in reality more childish than anything, and storm to the bedroom to stay for the rest of the night.

Instead, she just laughed lightly. "Hard when my goal is my teacher."

My eyes narrowed at that. How was _I _the one becoming angry in all of this? Why was_ I_ the one losing my self-control? "And your _teacher _will soon be the most hated person in your life," I told her before turning to leave. I hadn't wanted to leave the suite. It felt as if I was escaping rather than standing to fight—escaping my own suite!-, but I had no other choice. "Good evening, Miss Lucas." One small blessing: I didn't hear her voice behind me as I left.

In the elevator on the way up to my office, the events of the past few minutes ran through my mind. When she'd straddled me, I was admittedly shocked that she'd make such a dominant move. My first mistake was allowing her to do so. But before I'd had a moment to speak, she kissed me again, adding fuel to the flames already between us. When I exposed her neck, instinct took over, making me search for the perfect spot from which I could drink. Fortunately, I'd been able to keep my senses enough to stop and rest my head against her to gather myself.

My second mistake was letting her turn the tables rather than pushing her away. I realized at that moment a very bad thing: she knew how to play with me. She _knew _how to make me react. What was worse was knowing that she _enjoyed _it and would undoubtedly take advantage of her knowledge in the future if given the opportunity. I left the elevator with my fists clenched, cursing myself for letting that woman under my skin. I had intended to only play with her a bit to keep her interested and willing to bend over backwards for me. I had never expected her to have the nerve to play _back_. Like dangling meat in front of the lion and snatching it away...did she expect to come out of this unscathed? What was worse was _being _the lion on the end of a chain, knowing I had the strength to break it and take her but also knowing that I shouldn't. To do so would be the Final Death of both of us.

I slammed the office door behind me, satisfied with the bang that resonated through the penthouse. A growl escaped my throat when I saw the blood and scratches still on the floor. I'd forgotten all about it. I didn't want to be disturbed at the moment, however, so I was willing to overlook it rather than call the janitorial crew. Sitting down in my desk chair, I rested my chin on my fist, trying to relax. My fingertips brushed the spot where she'd bitten me, and my lungs instinctively took in a sharp breath. The sensation of one's vitae being drunk by another Kindred...indescribable pleasure. And to have it be drunk by her, her new fangs so easily doing what they were designed to do... A small shudder went through me, making me bare my teeth in anger when I recovered from it a moment later. _Weakness_.

Standing quickly enough to throw my chair backwards, I swept my arm across my desk, knocking off every random item of business I kept there. Phone, fountain pen, paperweight...they all clattered to the floor noisily, possibly breaking. I couldn't care less. If there was one thing I hated more than anything else in this wretched world, it was finding a weakness in myself that I couldn't overcome. Natalie was exactly that. I could push her away, tell her to leave and never return; and she'd do exactly as I told her. But then, I'd be giving up on the plans I had set in place months previous. So much work would be sacrificed. Just because I felt I was too weak to withstand her charms? _Never_.

My head swung over to where Mr. Xavier was staked in the corner, and I walked over to him. His eyes were looking up at me, and I could tell he was conscious. Looking at him reminded me of precisely why I needed to keep Natalie nearby. For now, keeping Natalie near me would be giving Samantha a false sense of security, letting her believe that her plans haven't yet fallen through. Treacherous female...just like all the rest. Then, after I'd dealt with Samantha, it would be time to move on to Layla. After that...

What would come after Layla? I would have gotten rid of the most troublesome females in my life except for one: Natalie herself. Granted, she has never done anything to show that she means to harm me or this organization; but neither had Samantha. Neither had Layla. Under the pretty smiles and fluttering eyelashes always lurked _something _evil. That much, I knew. There was no such thing as a "lady" in this society. Out loud, I spoke to Mr. Xavier, "Your sister...the classic southern debutante... If _she _isn't proof enough that the thought of a _true _lady is nothing but a myth, I don't know what would be. But how did _you _wind up so off course? With your family's riches, it seems strange that you would have taken such a different path... Shouldn't you be in some sort of...plantation business or something?" I tilted my head as I looked at him, knowing he couldn't answer due to the stake I'd left in him. "Why here? Why a Tremere? Who _was_ your sire, anyway?" I chuckled humorlessly as I nudged him with my foot. "I'm sure Strauss is _dying _to know the answer to _that _right about now..."

Kneeling next to him, I whispered into his ear, "Even if you _had _Embraced Natalie, she would still be _mine_. She has drunk of me too often to ignore my whims. No matter if you had been her sire, she would have found a way back to me." I paused. "Does it pain you to realize that? That, in spite of everything you tried, you would have always come up a failure? That the course of events could have gone a totally different direction, but you would have always wound up here, like this?" I chuckled, biting into my wrist. My other hand gently pulled Mr. Xavier's mouth open. "And what's worse...even if you had sired her, you too would have bent to my beck and call. Just like now." I smiled at him as my blood dripped into his mouth. "I hope Natalie passes her training quickly," I mused. "Then, we can get around to your _final _punishment."

* * *

After "feeding" Mr. Xavier, I sat at my desk for a long while—after righting my chair, of course—and pondered what to do about Natalie. More specifically, what to do about _resisting _her. What I'd told her was true. I would never realistically engage in sex with a woman outside the Ventrue clan. But the part of me that was so tempted by her was trying to justify the action by reminding myself that she _was _of my blood, no longer human, merely untrained. The fact that I was even attempting to justify it and find some excuse that would allow me to give in to my weakness was what angered me so. What was worse was that it wasn't just the sexual temptation, though _that _was growing stronger as well, startlingly enough. It was the memory of that one small taste of her blood that haunted me and made me want to bury my fangs in her neck. Neck, shoulder, wrist, thigh...any part of her, really. I closed my eyes tightly as a flash of an image struck my mind: her beneath me, arching in ecstasy as I drank from her inner thigh.

_Perfect_, I thought, rising from my chair shakily. N_ow it's not good enough to merely drink from her and damn myself that way. I'm envisioning our coupling as well? Deplorable, loathsome female... Why must she tempt me like this?_ There was no doubt in my mind that my thoughts of her, spiraling down this new road I'd had no desire to explore since I'd forced Layla out of my life, were due to her increasing openness. But a new thought occurred just as fast: she was beginning to think herself my equal! _"Considering the situation, I don't think we need to be so formal anymore,"_ she'd said. Plus, she'd called me by my given name several times. Why had I never corrected her? In some situations, it was appropriate, if she was playing her part. But privately?

I was feeling more confident when I left the office. Her disrespect of me would be the perfect opening for the first lesson of her _Agoge_. She would not call me _Sebastian _again unless the setting was right or I gave her explicit permission to do so. From there, she would learn that she would _never _be my equal or superior. She had no bond over me, and she never would. There. I'd finally said it with no doubt in my mind. She would _never _have me drink from her. I would always be her sire and her master. There was no other alternative.

Finally, I was able to go back to my suite without dreading seeing her there. I felt renewed strength of will and knew that I wouldn't be giving in to her wiles. When I opened the door to the suite, I saw I'd had nothing to worry about anyway. She was curled up on the couch, fast asleep. Curious, I thought, considering daylight wouldn't be breaking for at least a couple more hours. Even more curious was how she curled up to sleep, much like a human still would. Unbroken habit, perhaps? Without thinking, I reached out and touched her face. Looking at her, I hoped deeply that she'd make it through her _Agoge_, coming out stronger for it. _Weakness...sentiment... _Sighing, I forced myself to stop touching her and went into the bedroom, trying to ignore one nagging thought that buzzed around my head like a horsefly. _She will never be Ventrue. Your caring will make you weak, her training will not be as strenuous as it should be, and she will never be accepted. She will fail and die because of your weakness. Sentiment. Caring. _I lay down on the bed, gritting my teeth. Next night was the beginning of the trial. It was supposed to be hers. I knew it would be a trial for the _both _of us.


	22. Chapter 22

___**Natalie**_

When I woke up, I was surprised to still be on the couch. Had LaCroix even come back? Judging by the closed bedroom door, he had. Sitting up, I stretched and looked around for a clock. There was a small, gold clock sitting on the dining room table, letting me know it was just after 6 PM. I blinked at the tiny gold hands a few times, amazed that I'd slept so long and wondering how that happened. LaCroix had told me that Kindred were "hard-wired" to sleeping during daylight. Maybe that's what had happened?

I walked over to the bedroom door and gently knocked. "Come in," I heard from the other side.

Biting my bottom lip, I gently opened the door and peeked inside. LaCroix was standing in front of the wardrobe, buttoning his coat. Back to the same old business attire as always. "When'd you come back?" I asked, softly smiling. The night before had ended somewhat awkwardly, and I felt as if I had to make it up to him for some reason.

He shifted his eyes to me, raising an eyebrow. "After you'd fallen asleep," he answered before pushing past me.

I chuckled, following him back into the living room. "I kinda figured that."

"Then why, Miss Lucas, did you ask?" His frown made me stop smiling. He seemed pissed about something.

"I...I was just curious what time you came in," I said, biting my bottom lip again.

LaCroix's eyes narrowed slightly as he took a step towards me. His hand reached out and firmly tapped the underside of my chin, making me bite down harder on my lip, drawing blood. I took a step back with a startled sound and looked at him in shock. "Break that habit," he said, his voice cold. "You look like a child when you do it."

"You didn't have to _hit _me!" I shot back, my tongue running over the wound until it closed.

His eyes narrowed further, his lips pressing together tightly. "You are in no position to tell me what I will and won't do," he said softly. He walked towards me, the look in his eyes making me step backwards until I bumped into the table and could go no further. He approached until I had to put my head back to look up at him. "Allow me to remind you that, beginning today, you are my student; I, your master. You will do _exactly _as you are instructed, and your lessons will be fashioned to ensure they will _not _need repeating. Now, answer me this: will you be biting your lip around me again?" I shook my head. "Then you have already begun to learn." He turned then and left the suite.

I realized when the door closed behind him that I was shaking. LaCroix hadn't intimidated me like that in _months_. My tongue touched my lip again, though there was no wound there any longer. I'd always bitten my bottom lip when nervous or shy, ever since I was a child. Considering his words and his reaction today, I hoped I could remember to keep myself from doing it. I didn't want to know what he'd do if one of his lessons _did _have to be repeated. Swallowing hard, I went back into the bedroom to shower and change clothes.

When I'd dressed and come back into the living room, LaCroix was there, sitting on the couch and reading a newspaper. He looked up at me and folded the paper, laying it across his lap. "Come here," he said, his expression blank. I walked closer to him, but his eyes shifted to the empty spot on the couch beside him. Growing more confused by the moment, I sat down next to him. He reached over to the end table beside his end of the couch and picked up a knife from its surface. His other hand reached down and took hold of my wrist. Instincts kicking in, I jerked my hand away from him; but he moved too fast for me, gripping me again more tightly this time. His fingers tightened around my wrist painfully, making me grit my teeth. "You'll have to trust me," he said, giving me a small shake so I'd look up at him. "The more you trust me, the easier this process will be." Pressing my lips together tightly, I nodded but stayed silent.

LaCroix turned my arm until my hand was palm up. "We'll cover the essentials before diving into the histories and traditions," he said, his voice thoughtful as he looked at my arm. As he brought the knife closer to my arm, my teeth caught my bottom lip. I corrected that quickly when he glanced up at my face. He didn't react with anything more than a raised eyebrow before looking back to my arm. His hand moved from my wrist to my hand, still gripping tightly enough to squeeze the bones together. The knife came down in the palm of my hand, piercing the heel of it and dragging down my wrist to my forearm, opening a large slice. I let out a pained gasp as the metal split my flesh and thick blood began to ooze from the wound. "Heal it," LaCroix said, letting go of my arm. I whimpered, bringing my arm to my mouth, but LaCroix slapped it away. "The wound is too large to be licking it like an abused dog," he said shortly. "Concentrate. Force it closed."

Holding my injured arm with my other hand, I looked at it helplessly. "You're trying to kill me," I accused, trying to keep from panicking as my blood dripped down my arm.

"Your heart no longer beats. It will take you longer to bleed out than when you were human," he said nonchalantly, looking at the knife's blade with an odd expression. I caught him licking his lips quickly before setting the knife back on the table. "Concentrate on controlling your blood. It will heal you." I stared at the wound and tried to comprehend what he was saying. I knew that scrapes and cuts healed faster when I was a ghoul, supposedly because of the vampire blood mixing with mine; but I didn't have to consciously concentrate on doing it. For something this big, though... LaCroix's frustrated sigh broke into my thoughts as he got up from the couch. He grabbed my arm, the wounded one, and hauled me up with him. With a grimace, he looked at my blood on his hand and wiped it on my shoulder. "Fine then. You'll learn faster if you're pressed by necessity." I looked up at him, confused. He pulled his cell phone out of his coat pocket and walked over to the other side of the room. He spoke quietly so I couldn't catch any part of the conversation. When he put the phone back into his pocket, he gestured for me to follow him and left the suite.

My feet didn't want to follow him for a few moments. I was standing in the middle of his living room, my arm slashed open and dripping blood onto the expensive rug; and he wanted me to follow him? Finally remembering that I didn't want to push his buttons by not obeying right now, I hurried to catch up with him just as he reached the elevator. As the doors closed, I stared at my arm more, thinking, _Please close...just heal..._ I tried to picture the blood on a cellular level, red blood cells and platelets rushing to the wound and collecting there, rebuilding the flesh and closing the wound. I tried picturing that with my eyes closed. When I opened them again, still no change, a steadily growing puddle on the floor at my feet.

LaCroix had taken us to a floor I'd never bothered going to before. I'd expected more offices; but instead, the hallway from the elevator led to a large gymnasium, exercise equipment set up on one side, the other wide open with wood flooring. On the open floor stood a muscular man wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. LaCroix led me over to him without a word. The man looked from me to LaCroix, and I saw LaCroix give him the smallest of nods. The Prince looked at me and said, "Since you can't seem to grasp the concept of healing yourself normally, you'll be forced to do so. Mr. Keller here will attack you, and you'll have to defend yourself. It will be easier to do so when your arm is healed. Perhaps you'll tap into your other abilities as well..." As I stood gape-mouthed, LaCroix looked back at the man and nodded again before walking off. I watched him walk to the edge of the room until I was shoved to the ground roughly, my bleeding arm pulled painfully behind my back.

I cried out in pain, squirming underneath Keller as my arm burned and my shoulder popped painfully from the strain. Hearing the man laugh was all I needed to forget the pain for a moment and get angry. I gritted my teeth and push my knee hard against the floor to try to gain some footing. Amazingly enough, I got just enough leverage to catch him off guard and buck him off my back. I rolled and got to my feet, slightly crouched. He grinned, showing off sharp fangs as he adopted a crouched position similar to mine. _Brujah,_ I guessed, baring my teeth as well. He ran at me, and I raised my arms to guard myself. Keller grabbed my injured arm again, bringing me to my knees as I cried out in pain again. LaCroix was right; I couldn't fight with an injured arm, especially when my opponent _knew _that it was injured and a weakness.

Before Keller could twist my arm behind me again, I twisted it out of his grasp, clenching my teeth against the friction his hand put on the wound before losing his grip. I got some distance between us before turning back to him and getting back into a crouch. My right hand, the injured one, was clenching and unclenching quickly, trying to make the blood flow to it faster. I didn't know if it was working until I realized the burn in the muscle of my forearm was lessening. Either it was going numb, or it was healing. I made the mistake of glancing at it, taking my eyes off Keller long enough to allow him to charge me again.

Instead of being knocked back, my right foot dug in behind me, my left arm catching most of his weight. He landed a blow in my stomach, making the air in my lungs rush out suddenly; but the blow was hardly painful. I pushed against him with my left arm as hard as I could, getting a little of his weight off me so I could kick out with my right foot. I caught him on the side of his hip, but it was enough to make him stumble. This allowed me to again get some distance between us. When Keller looked up at me this time, his teeth were bared in a snarl instead of a grin.

I made one mistake out of habit: I blinked. Keller took that opportunity to somehow get behind me, striking me with enough force to slam me into the wall face first. It took him less than a second to close the distance between us and pin me to the wall, my right arm pinned between us. The slice in my arm was hurting less now, but my shoulder was beginning to burn from being twisted so awkwardly. I couldn't get leverage enough against the wall to throw him off this time, so I tried a different tactic. Squeezing my eyes shut and hoping I wouldn't knock myself out, I brought my head back hard and fast, headbutting him in the jaw. He let go instantly, stumbling backwards. I pushed myself away from the wall, but he recovered faster than I'd expected. He was already on me with his fist going for my stomach again. The punch seemed to land twice as hard as the first, making me glad I didn't _have _to breathe. A human would have been on the ground, coughing and probably vomiting from having the air knocked out of them. I was able to stay on my feet, though barely because of how badly it hurt. Keller's other fist caught me in the cheek, making me go down finally.

I curled up on the ground, my arms able to protect my head mostly; but he seemed to take great pleasure in hitting my ribs instead. When my arms instinctively went down to protect my chest, he'd strike out for my head again. After I saw the pattern, though, while I couldn't effectively block because of his unfathomable speed, I knew where to expect the pain. His punches continued to connect in the same way, but I was able to nearly ignore them when I came to expect them. Once I knew where he was going to hit, I could hardly feel them. As I acknowledged this fact, I defended myself less, feigning weakness and fatigue. After a couple more punches, I went limp. There was a pause in the flurry of blows. "Her arm's better, at least," I heard Keller chuckle. I opened my eyes and glanced over my shoulder to get a quick pinpoint on where exactly he was. His eyes went wide as my elbow connected with his throat, my other fist smashing into his jaw as he went down. I rolled with him but got to my feet to land a kick into his ribs. He let out a cough, wrapping his arms around himself. I kicked him once more, this time in the head. The momentum made him roll onto his stomach, where he lay still finally. When I was sure he was unconscious, I glanced at my arm. He was right. There was still a dark red mark where the cut had been, but it was fully healed otherwise.

I turned to face LaCroix, who was still observing from the side of the room. He had a small smirk on his face as he approached me. "Impressive," he said. "Your instincts are sharp. Use them more often and learn to control them consciously. It's better to be able to use your abilities when you _want _to do so rather than when you _need _to do so." He took hold of my right arm, turning it over to see the wound. The fingers of his other hand ran over the red mark lightly, making a chill go through me. Feeling my shiver, his gray eyes shifted to my face. The fingers that had touched my arm grasped my chin and turned my head from side to side. "And hardly a mark on you..." he mused. "Very interesting..." Still holding my chin in his hand, he drew closer to me. "While a Ventrue rarely finds it necessary to engage in physical confrontation, I encourage you to keep your fighting sense trained. You don't want to be caught unawares and lacking in practice."

I nodded slightly, eyes locked onto his. "Yes, sir."

A slow smile touched his lips. Finally letting go of my chin and arm, he straightened, looking down his nose at me. "Come. I'll explain everything that happened back in the suite." I nodded and followed him out, grateful that he was going to explain _something _for once.

Back at the suite, LaCroix got us both a glass of blood. I gulped mine down, looking up at him sheepishly when I realized how desperately I'd drunk. He didn't seem to think anything of it. I sat on the couch, but he continued to stand in front of me. His posture made me think he was about to give a speech. "As a Ventrue, you have three innate abilities that come with the blood," he said, swirling the blood in his glass as he spoke. "You demonstrated one of them several times during that altercation with Mr. Keller: Fortitude. That is what made you able to take his blows with very little effect on you."

I sat back on the couch with a small smile. "I could hardly even feel him touching me at the end," I said, understanding.

"The _key _is bringing that ability out _consciously_," he said, looking down at me. "It can help reduce the severity of many attacks. These days, it can be particularly useful against gunshot wounds. And, as you found, it can very effectively throw your enemy into a false sense of security." He grinned at me upon saying this, an expression I returned as I remembered the shock on Keller's face when I swung my elbow up to his throat after he'd thought I'd passed out.

"Cocky fucker deserved it," I said, chuckling.

LaCroix sighed, clearing his throat. "Miss Lucas, one thing I _must _insist upon is the curbing of your vulgarities." He gave me a condescending look before turning to go back to the kitchen. "Your words are one of your greatest weapons as a Ventrue, but you will never be taken seriously if your vocabulary sounds more fitting coming from a Brujah or Gangrel."

Out of habit, I nearly pulled my bottom lip between my teeth; but I stopped myself, clenching my teeth for a brief second instead. "Sorry. Bad habit."

"Indeed. Yet another." He glanced at me from the corner of his eye as he poured another glass of blood for himself. "I trust you know that there will be penalties if I hear another obscenity come from you?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good." He drank about half the glass before speaking again. Pointing to the table at the side of the living room, he said, "For the next two hours, I want you to continue the book you've been reading. You _may _even want to start from the beginning again. I will be ensuring you're memorizing what you're reading."

"So, I'm gonna be quizzed?" I asked.

"Yes. Frequently."

"Can I take notes?"

LaCroix frowned. "If you must," he said with an annoyed sounding sigh. "However, any notes you take are to be burned at the end of the night. Not ripped up, not shredded, _burned_."

"Yeah, no problem," I said with a shrug, picking up the book from the table.

"Oh, and Miss Lucas..." I turned back to look at LaCroix. "Your speech is much too informal. I know you can be more refined than that. You must exhibit it at all times."

I frowned. "But...I just thought that...I mean, you _know _me..."

"If you want to be a proper Ventrue, you will _act _like it," LaCroix said, his eyes narrowing angrily. "Refined of character, demeanor, and tongue. You are not the human who was Natalie Lucas. As Ventrue, you must transform yourself into something fitting to be _called _Ventrue. In spite of our former...familiarity, the human Natalie Lucas is dead to me."

I opened my mouth to argue, but thought better of it. He was right. I'd always thought his formal way of speech was a result of his being from a different time; but thinking of other Ventrue, even Samantha, none of them were as casual as I could be. "Yes, sir," I said softly. "Sorry..." LaCroix raised an eyebrow, and I cringed. "I mean, er...my apologies."

He studied me silently before setting his empty glass on the table and leaving the suite. I sat at the table with a sigh and cracked open the book, starting to read from the beginning again.

* * *

**A/N: The next couple chapters will probably be slow in being posted (for me, anyway) due to the fact that writing has been harder than pulling teeth for me lately! Too much crap going on in life at the moment.**


	23. Chapter 23

LaCroix sighed and smacked the table with his open palm, the loud sound making me jump in my chair. "No, _no_, you've gotten it backwards _again_!" he said, eyebrows knitted together angrily as he stood. I was frantically trying to flip through my book because I could have _sworn _I was reciting the lineage correctly, but he wrenched the book from my hands before I had a chance to find it. He flung the book across the room and bent down to bring himself to eye level with me. "This will be a _very _short series of lessons, indeed," he said softly. "If you aren't doing any better at this by the end of the week, I'm calling this all a lost cause!"

This was how it had been for the past two days since my first "lessons." The only time LaCroix wasn't yelling at me was when he was threatening me. I hadn't had a drop of blood in those two days either. I was thirsty as hell, but I wasn't allowed to drink until I could recite all of the variations of the clan titles, in order, in their English forms as well as their Greek and Latin. This included the traditional titles _and _the more modern city titles. The latter group, I didn't have a problem with in English. The Greek and Latin, though, made me get lost constantly. I _wanted _to study the list and memorize them, but LaCroix had different plans. He was making me go through _different _lists, and I couldn't concentrate because of the thirst, and I just wanted to scream or cry or something, but all I could do was hang my head and say, "Yes, my Prince..."

And that was another thing. The day previous, I'd gotten mad and said something along the lines of, "Jesus Christ, LaCroix!" as he nearly hit me in the head with a book he was taking from me. He spun around and literally backhanded me, knocking me and my chair to the ground. He'd picked me up by my shirt and hissed that I was _never _to address him by anything less respectful than his title ever again unless he expressly gave me permission. I'd glared at him silently until he dropped me into a different chair and left me there for a moment, returning with his knife and asking if I'd like to repeat lesson one. "No, my Prince," I'd replied immediately. He had a way of getting his "lessons" into my head when they weren't coming from a book.

But this round of studying was kicking my ass royally. I wasn't given enough time to memorize anything, I was being given too much to remember at once, and it was all becoming a blur in my blood-thirsted mind. LaCroix walked over to where the book had landed and picked it up, opening it and reading for a few moments while he paced back and forth with a hand at his chin, thinking. He flipped back a few pages before setting the book on the table in front of me again. "Twenty minutes," he said, leaning on the table. "Then we'll go over it _again_."

I nodded and bent over the book, trying to force my eyes to focus on the words. In among all the history being outlined in the paragraphs in front of me, I was supposed to pick out the names of influential Ventrue and recite them in chronological order. But when names of cities and names of Kindred were interspersed, it was hard to separate the two. Artemis and Lysander and Corinth and Pyrrhus and...no, something wasn't right there. I stared at the page, my hand buried in my hair as I struggled to re-read the same paragraph again. My eyes were going crossed. I squeezed them shut, trying to recite the names in my head, then opening my eyes to see if I'd gotten it right. I repeated this tactic several times, adding more names slowly until I had a small list that I could recite _and _know why they were important to the Ventrue clan. I was squinting at a line of print when the book slammed shut, and LaCroix was leaning against it looking at me. "Shall we try again?" he said, sliding the book away from me as he sat.

The hardest part of reciting the names was standing and staring LaCroix in the eye as I did so. The first time I'd been told to stand and not look away from him during the recitation, I'd tried to put one of those "helpful" tips you always hear about in school to work for me: try to imagine your audience in their underwear to make you less nervous. Bad idea. I wound up a stuttering mess, unable to meet LaCroix's eyes. He'd stood, shoving the book back into my hands as he called me something in French and stalked into the bedroom. This time, however, I was ready and confident. I stood straight, head held high as I met LaCroix's gaze, voice clear and tongue sure as I said the ancient names in our bloodline. When I was done, LaCroix's face kept its bored expression, an improvement from the instant anger and frustration I'd seen so often. Sighing, he settled back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other and drumming the fingers of one hand on the cover of the book. "_Noblesse oblige,_" he said. "Define it."

Ha, another one I was ready for. "The obligation of the members of the Ventrue clan to work on behalf of our fellow Kindred for the betterment of the entire Kindred race," I recited. This was one he'd drilled into me every night. That morning, I'd struggled to stay awake until I could recite it flawlessly, determined to surprise him the following night. "As we've been given great power, position, and natural ability, it is our duty to pay society back by carrying the burden of leadership on our shoulders, allowing our strengths to benefit the other clans as much as our own."

LaCroix's eyebrows went up a little, and the corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly. "An improvement from last night," he noted, and I struggled to keep from grinning. I forced my expression to stay calm and steady. A show of emotion, even happiness, was a guide to your weaknesses-another one of LaCroix's lessons, though I couldn't remember which night he told me that or _why_ I remembered it so specifically. LaCroix glanced at the book on the table, his fingers still lightly drumming the cover as he seemed to be thinking. "Define, then, the Ethic of Succor."

I hesitated. I'd read it. I _knew _what it was. But it was one of those things that I didn't know _well _enough to put smoothly into words. Dammit...this was an important one too, I knew. "The Ethic of Succor...is...the act of extending aid to another Ventrue, no matter what opinion you may hold of the Ventrue asking for help."

LaCroix sighed, his expression blank once again. "In its most simplistic definition..." he condeded. "It _does _beg to be noted that this Ethic of Succor is inviolable, and one should never invoke the Ethic unless one is certain one is in _dire _need."

"Yes, my Prince," I responded obediently, mentally filing away the most generously offered information since the first night of training.

The Prince stood, straightening his coat as he did so. He folded his hands behind his back and slowly walked towards the kitchen. "Laws of decorum. Recite."

"Always address other Kindred by their title or surname, Camarilla title preferably if one is applicable. Never interrupt another clanmate, and never take offense if interrupted by an elder. Always look into an elder's eyes when speaking or being spoken to..." I went on, feeling like a recording as I recited the long list of unwritten laws that the Ventrue clan held so dear and passed down to their childer.

"Good," LaCroix said from behind me when I'd finished. "Finally, some proof that something has taken hold." He walked back to his seat, holding a glass of blood in his hand. I froze and stared at it, my thirst increasing tenfold from just the smell of the thick vitae. This was just cruel. He knew precisely how long it had been since I'd had a drink, and now he was teasing me with it by drinking in front of me! It was probably still warm, too, knowing him...

"May I ask you something?" I said suddenly.

"I suppose," LaCroix said with a sigh, swirling the blood in his glass. "But make it quick."

I took my own seat before asking my question. My eyes were on his glass, but I wanted to distract with questions or conversation or _something _until that blood was gone so I could get back to studying. As long as I could smell it, I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else. "So many of these terms that I need to know are in Greek or Latin. How did you manage to remember all of them?"

"Necessity," LaCroix answered, giving me a pointed look that said _You don't have a choice, _before taking a drink from the glass. It was already about half empty.

I sighed, nodding. It was the answer I'd been expecting. "I feel like I'm trying to learn another language," I complained.

"You're learning a new _life_," he stressed, leaning forward and placing his glass on the table. "A new history, a new lineage, new traditions, new priorities..." Reaching across, he touched my arm briefly, making me look up at him. "Don't think that I'm unaware of how hard this is," he said softly, a quality to his voice I hadn't heard in what felt like a long while though it had only been a matter of days. I hadn't realized how much easier life with him had gotten since I'd begun to spend essentially all my time around him. I also realized only then that _he _hadn't changed at all. _I _had. I'd learned his quirks and how to deal with him by keeping him appeased and tiptoeing around a bit when he was upset. It wasn't hard or scary; I would even venture to say that I was beginning to understand how he thought. Maybe. And now, he was showing a bit of...what, sympathy? Caring? Sentiment? Whatever it was, I had the feeling for the first time that he _wanted _me to get through this.

I smiled and nodded at him. "I know," I told him. "Is this how your sire taught you?"

LaCroix shook his head, leaning back in his chair and finishing the rest of the blood before answering. "Not precisely. He was...very unforgiving. And he had a violent streak. Which reminds me..." He got up and picked up the knife which was now a constant presence in the living room, bringing it back to the table where we were sitting. "You _will _need to repeat your first lesson," he said, gesturing with the tip of the knife. "I need to know that you can use your blood to heal yourself if you ever need to."

He didn't know I'd been practicing. Whenever I needed a break from studying, I'd stay at the table but bite into my own hand with my fangs, dragging the tips a little to make deep scratches in my skin. I'd figured out how to concentrate to heal the wounds and not leave a mark. Early in the process, if I couldn't do it, I'd just lick the wound closed and try again later. Through this, I was able to learn how to heal myself. So, without hesitation, I reached out and took the knife from him, slashing my own arm with it. I put the knife on the table and cupped my other hand under my arm to try to catch most of the blood beginning to drip. Taking a deep breath to steady my thoughts, I waited until the pain began to fade to warmth, then looked up at LaCroix. He was looking at my arm with narrowed eyes. After a few minutes had passed, it was barely bleeding and mostly knitted back together. I brought the hand that had been catching my blood up to my mouth, drinking what I'd been able to save; after a couple days without a drink, I couldn't afford to let any go to waste. LaCroix nodded slowly, crossing his arms. "So then it's time to move on," he said quietly before getting up and disappearing into the bedroom. I frowned, curious; but when he didn't come back, I shrugged and pulled the book I'd been studying back around to my side of the table, setting back to work.

The sound of the hammer of a revolver being pulled back made me look up from my book, slowly turning to look behind me. LaCroix was pointing a gun at me, and he gestured with the gun for me to move aside. I stood, keeping my eyes on the gun as I moved and letting his gestures guide me back towards the center of the living room. Finally, he spoke. "There are two possible lessons to be learned from this. First, you can put into practice controlling your Fortitude discipline, standing your ground with hardly a flinch as the bullet hits you. Second, you can learn how to heal a more serious wound than a cut from a knife."

"Don't do this," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking. I knew that guns weren't much danger to vampires, especially if shot at the torso where LaCroix was aiming. That didn't mean that my fear of being shot was any less than it had been during my whole time alive. So, out of panic, I looked into LaCroix's eyes and said again, "Don't...do this."

He smirked and shook his head. "Amusing that you'd even _attempt _to dominate me out of fear, Miss Lucas," he sneered, "especially when I haven't even yet begun to touch on that lesson. Lacking confidence in your abilities?" His tone turned to mocking. "Hm? Or perhaps, you hope that I may have some sudden romantic realization, causing my hand to shake and drop the gun as I sink to my knees and berate myself for even being able to aim a weapon at you?"

Now that was just insulting. "I'd never expect anything of the sort from you, Prince LaCroix," I said bitterly. "For that, you'd require a beating heart, something that neither of us possesses any longer."

Chuckling softly, he lowered the gun to his side. "Does that mean you no longer hold any love for me?" he said, sarcasm dripping from his words.

I almost had to think about that. After all, I'd felt less adoring of him since my Embrace, but more attracted. But at the same time, I still couldn't imagine myself without him; to even try to bring the thought of being alone in the world without his guidance terrified me. "You know I'd do anything for you, my Prince," was the response I settled on. "If that isn't love, I don't know what would be."

LaCroix let out a single light snort of laughter before raising the gun and pulling the trigger. I hadn't been ready. The bullet was in and out of my body in less than a second, but I felt the burning every centimeter of the way through. My hands went directly to the bullet wound, and I looked down to survey the damage. Surprisingly, blood wasn't gushing as I'd been expecting to see. Only a slow trickle ran from the wound to soak through my clothing. "That wasn't fair!" I protested, looking up at LaCroix angrily.

"Do you think that anyone with a gun pointed at you will be concerned with what you view as being _fair_?" he shot back.

"This wasn't an ordinary situation!" I'd forgotten about the hole in my stomach. The pain was rather dull and easy to push out of my consciousness. I was more concerned with the fact that LaCroix apparently expected me to be "ready" at all times during his mocking.

"My apologies, I'll wait until I'm certain you're fully prepared next time!" The gun went off again, piercing my shoulder this time. "Oh dear, I'm _so _sorry!" LaCroix's eyes were flashing angrily as they met mine.

"Jesus fucking Christ, just _give _me tha-" My words choked off as his hand clenched around my throat.

"What did I tell you about speaking obscenities, Miss Lucas?" LaCroix hissed, his face an inch or so from mine. I couldn't answer. Speaking required air, and I wasn't being allowed any at the moment. "Do _not _lose control of yourself. A momentary flash of temper or irritation, I'm likely to overlook. However, when you let it continue to course through you and make you act in a manner that does not flatter a Ventrue, you have lost your self-control and given in to emotion. Anger should not turn into rage, affection into lust, or curiosity into desire. Remember?"

His grip loosened slightly to allow me to answer. "And how many of those have _you _broken just recently?" I asked before his fingers tightened again.

He bared his fangs before tossing me to the floor. Kneeling next to me, he got my attention by placing the barrel of the gun under my chin. "You may be a Ventrue now, the same blood as me; but that does _not_ make you my equal. I am your sire, you are my childe, and that makes _me_ your elder. The disrespect for me that you've shown this night is appalling, and I will _not_ stand for it. If you are going to stand in front of me and recite our laws of decorum, I expect you to _live_ by those laws. If you are unwilling or unable to do so, please, tell me right now so I can pull this trigger and end this apparent waste of my time while ensuring that you fulfill your end of the bargain!"

"All right, all right," I said, putting up a hand in surrender. "I'm genuinely sorry I insulted you, and I'm sorry I lost control. I forgot my place. I beg your forgiveness, my Prince."

A muscle in the Prince's jaw twitched before he finally took the gun away from my chin. He pressed the barrel firmly against the wound in my shoulder, making pain flare up like a flame under my skin. "You forgot to heal yourself as well," LaCroix said in a low voice before standing and walking into the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him. I knew I wouldn't see him for the rest of the night. I would also not get my drink of blood that night. With a sigh, I lay flat on my back on the floor, concentrating on healing myself and kicking myself mentally for not being able to keep my mouth shut.


	24. Chapter 24

The next night when I awoke on the couch, I immediately set to studying. I _had _to get this shit into my head if I ever wanted to taste blood again. If nothing else, I needed to _show _some improvement to get back on LaCroix's good side after the previous night. The more I'd thought about my being a smartass to him, the more I'd regretted it. I guess it was a result of my pride, reminding me that, while I'd made plenty of mistakes to be punished and belittled for, he seemed blind to his own outbursts and tantrums. Maybe that was a Prince's right? After all, his position must cause a lot of stress; and then having to deal with me on top of it all... Then there was Blake, a totally different story, most of which was still a mystery to me. I knew he was still staked in LaCroix's office, but nothing else beyond that.

LaCroix came out of the bedroom, pulling on his coat and frowning deeply. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," was his curt response. I watched him pace around for a few moments, muttering to himself as he seemed to be looking for something. He disappeared into the bedroom again.

I shrugged and went back to reading, but it was only a couple seconds before I felt him reading over my shoulder. No, I didn't _feel _him there; it was his cologne that gave him away. I pressed my lips together tightly, silently cursing him. If it wasn't the smell of whatever blood he was drinking in front of me, it was his damned cologne and the feelings the scent brought with it that distracted me. "Is there something I can do for you, my Prince?" I asked without looking at him.

His shoes clicked sharply on the floor as he walked away from me. "You'll continue your studying tonight without me," he announced. "I'll be away for a good portion of the evening."

I turned and looked at him, surprised. "If I may ask, where will you be going?" I said, careful to not seem too demanding or nosy.

"Board meeting," he said, clipping on his cufflinks. "Perhaps you'll be ready in time for next month's." His voice had a thoughtful tone to it.

I knew what he meant by a "board meeting." It was the monthly state of affairs meeting for the clan. The fact that he even mentioned my being able to attend the next one made a lump of dread settle in my stomach. For that, I would have had to get through _this _part of my training _and _the initial presentation to the clan _and _more training _and _a final test he hadn't yet given me details on. Within a _month_? What kind of _wunderkind _did he think I was? I forced myself to back up my thoughts a little and review how he'd said it. His tone of voice, the words used... Maybe he was trying to intimidate me by making me _think _he had such high expectations. After all, even if I didn't succeed getting through all of it in a month, if I were to pretend I believed he expected me to finish in that time-frame and pushed myself hard, I'd be further along by the end of the month than I would be if I were to proceed at a leisurely pace. That line of thought made more sense. A shadow of intimidation to motivate, especially since achieving everything necessary to allow me to attend the meetings was practically impossible in such a short span of time. Having settled on that as the most likely plan of attack from LaCroix, I turned back to my book. "Perhaps," I said simply.

There was a moment of silence before LaCroix said, "You don't sound very eager to attend."

I thought for a second to decide if I wanted to let him know I'd probably pinpointed his game. _Why not? If I'm wrong, he'll just correct me; and maybe I'll be able to figure out how serious he is about this month-long time limit,_ I thought. Putting on a small smile, I turned to look at him again. "That's not it at all. The goal set by your words, however, merely seems...unrealistic. I tend to think that you say such things in an attempt to motivate me to work faster through intimidation. Even if the end result isn't _full _success but, rather, being closer to it, then we _are _ahead of the game and, therefore, have some semblance of success anyway, yes?" I shrugged and waved a hand dismissively at him as I turned back to my book. "Once I've completed this step, I'll have a better idea of how to continue for the rest and be able to cut down our time spent in training significantly, I assure you."_ Wow...did all that come out of me?_ I thought. _I really **have** spent too much time around LaCroix. I'm starting to sound like him, now..._

I hardly even noticed how silent the room was until I began to hear LaCroix laugh. He walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, making me look up at him. He was still chuckling as he said, "You really _are _beginning to think like a true Ventrue! If we didn't have the academics to worry about, you'd be ready for your introduction to the clan tonight!" He chuckled again, his hand moving to curl around my chin gently. "Perhaps I underestimated you," he said softly, eyes narrowing slightly as he looked into mine; but he continued to smile. "Continue to study tonight, test yourself. When I return, I'll give you my own test and determine if you're ready to move on."

"Move on to what, exactly?" I asked, intrigued by the new respect I'd seemed to have gained.

"If you can satisfy me tonight with what you've learned, we will move on to your control of Domination," he said with a grin. His thumb lightly caressed my cheekbone. "Judging from the way you already know how to weave words, once you grasp the concept, you'll soon be a master of the art."

I grinned back at him. "I can only be as much of a master of it as my own master is," I purred. His touch and attention was a welcome change from the previous few nights.

"Hm...for now, that is true," he said softly. His hand left my chin and brushed down my neck instead, his eyes following it. A thought began formulating in my mind, something about LaCroix seeming distracted suddenly; but it was left incomplete as his eyes snapped back to mine. "But if you manage to live long enough, your control of the discipline will increase. It will be up to _you _to allow that to happen, and everyone's knowledge increases at their own pace. I'm not a fool enough to not consider the possibility of your control of the discipline exceeding my own someday."

I frowned. "I hope that possibility doesn't make you think I'd use it against you if the opportunity arose," I said.

LaCroix chuckled. "Not at all, simply due to the fact that you are my childe and, therefore, what we call a higher generation vampire than I. That fact alone makes it impossible for you to dominate me. And even if it _were _possible, remember our laws of decorum: 'Do not force your will or charms upon another member of Clan Ventrue unless absolutely necessary.'" Slowly, LaCroix removed his hand from my neck, his fingertips seeming reluctant to leave my skin. "By the time you have grown _that _powerful, you would have been living by those laws for so long that you wouldn't use it against anyone of our clan unless you had ample reasoning behind it."

He turned to walk back to the kitchen, and I jumped up to follow him this time. "I apologize if I'm out of line to ask this, but doesn't that mean that your using La—Miss Neubauer to your own means violated that law?" LaCroix stopped and looked at me, a slight frown on his face and eyes narrowed. I continued, "After all, wouldn't seduction and playing on a clanmate's emotions be forcing your charms on her?"

He studied me for a moment before raising his chin in a defiant manner, a gesture I wondered if he was even aware of. "At times, it can be situational," he said. "Besides, she'd already been using _me _as well. Once a trust of that sort is broken, it becomes a more intricate situation in which one must use one's best judgment. Think of the concept of _noblesse oblige_. If we are spurned as a clan, we have no obligation to those who refuse us. Very much the same with the laws of decorum."

I nodded, then spoke my next question slowly and deliberately. "If I'm understanding correctly, the behavior I exhibited the other night when I drank from you would probably be best left unrepeated, yes?"

I watched a flash of surprise go across LaCroix's face before he cleared his throat and managed to regain a blank expression. "As I said, Miss Lucas, such things are situational," he said, speaking just as deliberately.

A smile touched my lips as I looked up at him. "So then, if it's not of any underhanded nature and meant only for entertainment or pleasure..."

It was a struggle for me to keep from laughing as LaCroix looked positively uncomfortable. "There _is _the matter of respect to keep in mind," he finally said.

"Of course! So, as long as both parties are consenting and aware, such use of one's charms may be allowed?" I couldn't help but grin now.

"Consenting and aware, perhaps. Many other factors may go into such things, but..." He cleared his throat again and reached into his coat to check his pocket watch. "And now you've made me late," he grumbled.

I laughed softly. "My apologies, Prince LaCroix. I hadn't intended to do so."

"Hmph." In a hurry, he passed me and called over his shoulder, "Continue your reading. I'll return before sunrise."

After the door closed behind him, I laughed a little more. "'_Situational_'..." I said, repeating the word he'd used. In my mind, that translated to "_Under normal circumstances, you shouldn't repeat that behavior; but I definitely would like you to, so we'll call it 'situational.'_" His excuse of keeping respect in mind was his form of backpedaling, not wanting to seem enthusiastic about our little game or my coming on to him. As I sat at the table and opened the book again, I was still smiling.

* * *

When LaCroix returned, we didn't greet each other. I hardly noticed he'd come in because of being so deeply engrossed in my books. Yes, _book**s**_. Plural. I'd managed to run across something that seemed to contradict one of the other books I'd been studying, so I was comparing them. Then something else confused me, but I recalled reading about the same subject in a third tome. So, in front of me were three books; and I was frowning, flipping pages and reading bits and pieces of all of them at once. LaCroix's voice broke my concentration, and I directed my frown at him. "Beg pardon?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow. I knew he didn't like repeating himself, but I'd been concentrating too hard to have heard him. "I asked if you were ready for your test," he said slowly.

I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell him to hang on for five more minutes. I _hated _being in the middle of my research and being interrupted. But my train of thought was rapidly leaving, and I knew I'd be making a bad choice if I told LaCroix to wait. His question was one with only one acceptable answer, which I gave. "Yes, my Prince."

"Good." He reached across the table and began closing the books I had open, sliding them away from me. As soon as the books were out of reach, LaCroix sat across from me, leaning back with his elbows on the armrests of the chair and fingers laced together in front of him. "To begin, the clan titles. Recite."

Clearing my throat, I stood and leveled my gaze on his eyes. "The Directorate or _Ephorate_, the Elders or _Strategoi_..."

* * *

LaCroix was brutal with his testing; but I surprised the both of us by knowing the answers to even the trickiest questions, even if I had to hesitate to consider my answer a few times. It got to the point where LaCroix was beginning to flip through my books to help him think of more questions to ask. Finally, he looked up at me and said, "For as long as you've been studying, your answers could be coming more instantly. However, the fact that you were able to answer correctly _is _a significant step forward." Rising from the chair, he walked past me into the kitchen. "I think we'll repeat this test over the next several nights. Repetition should help your answers come more quickly." I followed after him and licked my lips automatically when I saw him take out a bottle from the cupboard and two—_two!_-glasses. He must have seen my expression because he smirked. "I _did _tell you that you'd be able to drink once you named the titles correctly and in order."

"Yes, sir," I said with a nod, my eyes on the way he was pouring the blood slowly, making sure both glasses had a relatively similar amount of blood in them. Unnecessary and undoubtedly done merely to make me wait longer, but I would have waited into the afternoon if he told me I would be getting my blood then. As he handed one of the glasses to me, it took all my strength to keep from giggling and bouncing like a child; but I couldn't help the grin on my face. I drank slowly, savoring every drop that crossed my tongue. I let my eyes close; and judging by the look on LaCroix's face when I finished the glass, I think I let out a couple moans as well. His gray eyes were on me, his glass halfway to his own lips where his hand had frozen. I locked my gaze to his and slowly licked my lips, trying to tease him. He seemed to jerk back to life, taking a long drink of blood; but he didn't look away. I chuckled and looked down into my glass. _What a fucked up teacher/student relationship,_ I thought. "So now what?" I asked, mostly to break the tension.

"Now...we begin training you in Domination. Practicing, however, may be a little more difficult..."

"Why's that?" I asked, frowning.

LaCroix chuckled. "Well...you certainly can't practice on _me_," he said matter-of-factly. "Even if you got it right on your first attempt, it wouldn't have any effect."

I frowned a little deeper, seeing his point. "What about Mercurio?" I suggested.

"I'll consider it," LaCroix said before finishing the blood in his glass. "In the meantime, perhaps we should start by allowing me to give you some examples of what exactly the discipline can do." He paused, giving me a sideways look. "You understand, of course, that this requires you to be the..._volunteer_, as it were, in order to best comprehend the effects." I nodded, and LaCroix smiled a little. "Good." He looked at me for a few moments, then met my eyes and said, "Sit." I dropped into a cross-legged position on the floor, following his order. He chuckled and nodded towards a chair a little bit behind me before meeting my eyes again. "No, there." Instantly, I got up and walked to the chair, sitting down in it.

"Of course, I'd be doing all this _anyway_, considering the bond," I pointed out, not really impressed. I didn't feel any different. I was just following orders as usual.

I'd expected at least a frown from LaCroix; but instead, he smirked. "Very true, Miss Lucas," he said smoothly. His eyes stayed on mine, and I felt an inward tugging at my brain when he said, "Now...weep." I opened my mouth to ask how expected me to do that on command, but my breath caught in a small sob. My vision blurred, and my chin began to tremble. Hot tears rolled down my face and dripped onto my jeans. The wetness left was red. I was weeping blood, and it was uncontrollable. When I began to sob in earnest, my brain confused as hell, LaCroix walked a little closer to me and make me look at him by placing a hand on top of my head and tipping my head back. "Laugh, my childe," he said softly, his smile looking almost deranged as if he enjoyed this too much. I couldn't think about it for long as my sobs turned into bubbling giggles. I began laughing as if I'd been told the most hilarious story I'd ever heard, finding that the lack of air one experiences during a fit of laughter was just as painful while Kindred as while mortal. It was the oddest experience I'd ever felt. My cheeks were still wet with blood, but I was laughing hard enough to have to gasp for air. To top it all off, my thoughts were still completely my own, confused and wondering how this could be possible, nothing had happened to make me laugh besides LaCroix's telling me to, same with my previous tears. I realized that this discipline was more powerful than I'd been able to imagine.

LaCroix placed his hands on both sides of my face and gave me a small shake. The instant I could open my eyes and meet his, he said, "Stop," and I instantly calmed. He gave a small nod and let go, stepping back a few paces.

"That...is disturbing," I said. "I lost all control, but I was still perfectly rational in my thoughts."

"What I've just shown you is the simplest form of domination," LaCroix said, frowning at the blood on his hands from my tears. "There are other forms that I won't force upon you, even in your willing state. They are too intrusive."

"How so?" I asked.

"Using the powers of Domination, one can implant false memories into another's mind, rewrite past memories, even completely possess a mortal body and control their actions." He paused, then said, "It would be easy for me to give you any memory I wished or change the way events had happened in the past in your mind; but it wouldn't serve as much of an example for you as you'd believe whatever I'd put there as a result of the domination. Yes, I could go on to _tell _you that I'd merely changed a detail or that a memory is of my invention; but you'd have to take my word for it. To you, it would be entirely real. _That _is the intrusive part, and it is the reason it's very important you analyze the necessity of the situation before _ever _resorting to using the discipline for such things."

"That's what that means!" I exclaimed suddenly, a puzzle piece falling into place. "In the laws of decorum: 'Eavesdropping upon another's thoughts, _defiling their memories,_ or toying with their emotions are all quite rude; but sometimes necessary if one's subject is not a Ventrue.'" I quoted. My mind once again went to Layla and how LaCroix had obviously committed a serious breach of decorum with how he'd used her, but I didn't want to bring it up at that moment.

"Precisely," he said with a slight smile. "Also, you can now see another reason for one of the other laws: 'Do not enforce your _will _or charms upon another member of Clan Ventrue unless absolutely necessary.'" I nodded, and he continued, "One last thing to keep in mind: remember that if an elder should demand access to your mind and is within his rights to do so, you are not to resist. The only ones with such right to do so are a Prince, justicar, _praetor_, or _strategos_." Lacroix's eyes narrowed slightly. "But if you are being approached for such a thing, you've got more problems on your plate than mere worries regarding an intrusion into your memories and thoughts."

I nodded again. "It would undoubtedly be a desperate or, at least, very grave situation."

"Indeed."

After a moment of thought, I asked, "I know _you _could resist my attempt if I tried to dominate you; but is it possible for _me _to resist?"

LaCroix chuckled. "It depends on who is attempting to dominate you." He began to pace the floor a little, making me smile. He was about to launch into a lecture, I recognized. "You see, your will power is a factor, yes; but also remember that the generation of vampire you are also plays a large role. As I recall telling you before, you would never be able to dominate _me _merely because I am an earlier generation than you. If someone-Mr. Xavier, for example-if he is from a longer line of Tremere than you are of Ventrue, his domination powers would be useless against you, and you would be more likely able to dominate him."

"Blake knows the Domination discipline?" I asked, a little surprised. I'd thought it was a Ventrue trait only.

"He should," LaCroix said. "The Tremere, Giovanni, and Lasombre clans all share the discipline aside from Ventrue."

"Gio—wait, I've never heard those clan names before." I was confused now. I'd thought Mercurio had told me about all the clans.

LaCroix frowned. "Really? I was under the impression that Mercurio had briefed you on the different clans."

"Yeah, but he only told me about Ventrue, Malkavian, Brujah, Nosferatu, Toreador, and Tremere. Oh, and Gangrel and Tz-Tch-"

"_Tzimisce_," LaCroix finished for me, sounding none too happy about having to say the strange clan name. "Aside from them and the Gangrel, it sounds as if he only saw fit to tell you of the Camarilla clans; and the Gangrel have only been out of the Camarilla for a very few years."

"He didn't tell me much about them or the other one," I confessed. "It came up when I asked him about-" I stopped, remembering what had prompted the conversation Mercurio and I had shared that day.

"About what?" LaCroix prompted.

"The night I was Embraced, I got a call from Calvin."

"Yes, Mercurio told me of it," LaCroix said with a nod.

"He did?"

"Yes. That fact helped me realize exactly how much trouble you'd gotten yourself into by going off when it was unnecessary." He frowned at me pointedly, and I returned the expression. I didn't appreciate his attempt at guilt tripping me, especially when the lack of necessity hadn't been entirely assured at the time.

"Well, anyway," I continued, "I thought Calvin was trying to tell me about a Kindred who could turn into a wolf. Mercurio said that Gangrels and Tz—the other one could, but that's all I know about them."

"Tzimisce," LaCroix said again, this time with a little bit of a growl in his voice. "Learn it and never fall in with any of them. Sabbat rubbish. As for the others...here..." He walked over to the table and picked up a piece of paper I'd been using for notes during my studying. After finding my pencil, he wrote for a few seconds, then handed the paper to me. There were three groups of clan names:

_**Camarilla:**_

_**Ventrue**_

_**Tremere**_

_**Toreador**_

_**Malkavian**_

_**Nosferatu**_

_**Brujah

* * *

**_

_**Sabbat:**_

_**Lasombra**_

_**Tzimisce

* * *

**_

_**Independents:**_

_**Assamite**_

_**Followers of Set**_

_**Giovanni**_

_**Ravnos**_

"You may have noticed the exclusion of the Gangrel clan," LaCroix said as I looked over the list he'd written. "That is primarily because, since their withdrawl from the Camarilla, some of their kind have stayed behind for their own purposes, while others have defected to the Sabbat and yet others are sided with the anarchs." He sighed. "Right now, however, we don't have time to go through all the inner workings of the clans. Someday, perhaps." I nodded, setting the paper in my lap. "Now, where were we?"

"You were telling me why I might be able to dominate some Kindred but not others."

He smiled at me, an unspoken bit of praise for listening. "Yes. Mortals, however, are a different story. Dominating humans is rather easy, as very few humans have the will power to resist the discipline. Also, most humans would never be aware that any suggestion had been made to them."

I chuckled at that. "So you're telling me that saying, 'sit,' to a human won't let them know they'd been told to sit?"

"Not exactly. The key is to camouflage your commands in regular speech patterns. Master making eye contact at the appropriate moment and put the slightest bit of stress on your command, and it will blend with your conversation flawlessly without alerting the kine to what's happening."

Leaning back in my chair, I smiled. "And I'm willing to wager that you can credit at least a small portion of your success here to that ability," I said, gesturing to the opulent suite.

The corners of LaCroix's mouth twitched. "A very small portion, perhaps," he said thoughfully, "though more often than not, such tactics become most useful when one is unwilling to let a lucrative agreement be squabbled over for months and would rather have the paperwork signed by the end of the week."

Chuckling again, I shook my head. "Patience never _has _seemed your strongest point."

"Oh?" Hands behind his back, LaCroix raised an eyebrow at me. "Then, please, satisfy my curiosity. What _is_?"

_Shit...walked into that one,_ I thought, trying to keep my expression neutral. I knew there were many ways to answer his question, but very few would allow me to get by without punishment for being presumptuous and judgmental of him. I also couldn't pour on the compliments as that would be too easily seen through. _Tread lightly. _"Well, in my experiences with you, it would be your ability to assess a situation quickly and making necessary adjustments to a plan without jeopardizing the entire thing."

"How do you think I gained that ability, Miss Lucas?" he asked. The question threw me off, and I was left without an answer. Upon seeing my speechlessness, he answered for me, "Because I had the _patience _to watch and listen to those who would be players in a plan, allowing me to anticipate their actions and quickly formulate alternative plans if they strayed from the course I'd expected them to take. Of course...there is one last discipline that also helps greatly when it comes to business dealings."

"Presence, right?" I asked, drawing a nod from him.

"And again, we must be careful with the use of it. Overuse of our disciplines can make them a crutch, not allowing us to build our _own _strengths beyond that which being Ventrue gives us." He looked at me for a moment, then turned his back to me. A moment later, he turned back; and something in his eyes told me that his mood had changed drastically for some reason. I pressed myself back in my chair, as if trying to get away from him without letting him know. He took a step towards me; and I scrambled back, my instincts telling me he was going to kill me with that look in his eyes. Something was wrong, and he was going to punish _me _for it! My chair toppled to the floor, me with it. My eyes were still locked to his; and I could hear whimpering and pleading coming from my mouth, saying anything I could to try to remind him that I'd done nothing, trying to find out what was wrong. He smiled, showing his fangs; and I scrambled backwards farther. They looked longer and sharper than I'd seen them before. I rolled to the side onto my hands and knees to crawl away, and confusion hit. Why was I so scared? It was only LaCroix, my sire; and I'd done nothing to deserve his wrath, especially so suddenly.

Turning, I looked over my shoulder at him and saw him smirking with his arms crossed over his chest. "A particularly powerful discipline, no?" he said, cocking an eyebrow at me.

"That...that was Presence?" I said, still feeling shaky as I gathered myself from the floor.

"In one form. I find it interesting, though, that your panic is what caused the thrall to break." He sounded thoughtful, narrowing his eyes at me. "As if your survival instincts knew precisely how the discipline works without any prior explanation."

"I don't understand."

"Once I was out of your field of vision, the effect broke," he explained. "It's one drawback of Presence in my opinion: if the victim can't see you—with the exception of one sort of command—the power won't take effect. On the other hand, normally, if one is enthralled by a being using the Presence discipline, they won't be able to consciously choose to take their eyes from the vampire."

"I guess I have strength of instinct over strength of will," I said.

"Possibly. Your innate sense of self-preservation _does _seem to have played a part just now." He studied me for a moment longer before turning away with a wave of his hand. "However, it would do very little against other forms of Presence. Entrancement, for instance."

"What's that? Show me."

LaCroix chuckled before turning back. "If I were to do that, we'd get nothing more done tonight," he said, "though your enthusiasm is noted." A small smile still on his face, he walked over to me and took my hand in his, bringing it up to lightly kiss the back of it. "Using an Entrancement on you would strengthen your already strong..._attachment _to me for a period of time, waning after that time had passed." His other hand brushed my cheek lightly, and I closed my eyes as I leaned into his touch. "Your full bond to me having manifested itself in this manner...a further Entrancement would definitely be disastrous to your concentration. After all, we still need to practice your Domination skills."

"Mmhmm," I said with a small nod, nuzzling my cheek against his cool fingers. Any affectionate touch from him, after being cut and shot and belittled and deprived by him, felt even better than normal. Even if it _was _just to make a point. I reached up and took his hand in mine, flattening his palm against my face and looking up at him as I ran his hand down onto my neck. His eyes followed our hands, his thumb brushing my jaw before he pulled away and stepped back. "Your enjoyment of toying with me makes this _Agoge _uncomfortable for you, my Prince?" I asked, grinning.

I saw his throat flex as he swallowed hard before frowning. "You misread me. Your actions are merely _distracting_."

I chuckled. "I was only building on your own actions," I pointed out.

"Be that as it may..." LaCroix cleared his throat and passed by me, walking into the living room. There was a knock at the door, and I saw LaCroix smile. "Right on time."

He opened the door; and Mercurio came in, seeming panicked. "I...This is gonna sound really weird, but I..." His panic faded to confusion as he looked around.

"You felt compelled to come," LaCroix said, a small smirk on his face.

"Yeah...hey, yeah, that's...that'd be it."

Patting Mercurio's shoulder, LaCroix looked back to me. "The use of Presence you've just seen demonstrated doesn't require the victim to be within sight of the vampire," he explained, gesturing to Mercurio. "Rather convenient if one's telephone service is cut off," he added with a chuckle at his own small joke.

"Wait, so you just _thought _something, and Mercurio felt like he had to come down here?" I said, a little in awe of the possibility.

"Yes, I summoned him when you suggested practicing your _word crafting_ on him."

"Whoa, what?" Mercurio looked more confused than ever as was I. Then I realized that LaCroix was telling me to practice dominating Mercurio without letting him know what was going on.

I smiled and nodded then. LaCroix returned the smile and turned back to Mercurio. "Considering the fact that I'm too closely involved in her training, I had hoped you would help her by letting us know how compelling she can be with her words."

"Oh...uh...okay?" Mercurio still seemed really confused, but he allowed himself to be led to a chair and sat.

LaCroix gave me a small nod, and I tried to figure out what I should try to make Mercurio do first. Something simple. LaCroix had made me sit, laugh, cry... I raised a hand to my nose and glanced at Mercurio. "Sorry, I think I'm going to _sneeze_," I said.

He rolled his eyes and laughed. "A vampire with allergies," he said. "Didn't know that was even possible."

_Okay, that didn't work._ I pretended that my "sneeze" had passed. "Er...this could take a while, Mercurio," I said. "You look thirsty. Why don't you help yourself to a _drink_?" I asked, locking eyes with him and directing him towards the kitchen.

He got up from the chair. "Yeah, thanks, sounds like a good idea." I watched him pass me and glanced at LaCroix as Mercurio was filling a glass with water. LaCroix's eyes were slightly narrowed as he glanced from me to Mercurio. The ghoul downed three glasses of water before LaCroix began to smile. He gave me a slight nod. I'd done it. Problem was, now I needed to turn it off.

I laughed, trying to sound casual. "Jeez, you're gonna have a full bladder before I get through one sentence!" I said, taking the glass out of his hand. "_Stop _now."

Mercurio blinked at me and shrugged. "Heh, sorry. Just tasted really good for some reason."

I smiled at him, making eye contact again. "Go. _Sit_." He went back to his chair as instructed. I glanced at LaCroix again. He was standing with his arms crossed over his chest, a small smirk on his face. He was pleased already.

Throughout the next hour, I rambled on about random things, making Mercurio itch ("they're _itch_ing to get at us..."), yawn ("...into their greedy, _yawn_ing mouths..."), and even follow me as I paced around the room ("One would be foolish to _follow _so blindly."). I'd had to struggle to keep a straight face when I turned around suddenly and found Mercurio hardly a step behind me. He seemed confused as well, but I just laughed and told him to sit down again. He did.

"I believe the experiment was a success," LaCroix finally spoke up as he glanced at his pocket watch. "Thank you, Mercurio. Your assistance was greatly appreciated."

"Uh, yeah, of course, no problem." Mercurio got up and smiled at me. "Sounds like you're doin' real well, kid."

I grinned at him. "I'm getting by," I said, not wanting to sound too cocky or tortured by the process. A happy medium, that which could be a Ventrue's best friend, I was finding. Before he left, I gave Mercurio a big hug. "Drive safely getting home," I told him. He smiled and nodded before giving me a kiss on the cheek and leaving.

After I'd closed the door, LaCroix chuckled. "Once again, when it comes to disciplines, you catch on quickly. It shall be interesting to see you combine your domination and presence for the first time."

"What are you expecting?" I asked him.

He smiled as he turned and began walking towards the bedroom. Sunrise was approaching, and I could already feel fatigue at the edges of my consciousness. "I'm expecting you to have anyone in the same room eating out of the palm of your hand, of course," he said over his shoulder. "Good morning, Miss Lucas."

"Good morning, Prince." After the door had closed behind him, I curled up on one of the couches and almost instantly fell asleep.

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**A/N: Wow, I feel like there's a lot of blah blah blah in this chapter. :-/ Necessities to get through, I suppose; but my apologies if it got boring. -_-;**


	25. Chapter 25

After three failed quizzes regarding Camarilla and Ventrue histories the next night, I grew numb to LaCroix's insults and mutterings about how I'd survived so long as a mortal if I couldn't even remember simple printed words on paper. He caught me sighing lightly and rolling my eyes at one of these ongoing complaints of his, but I didn't realize it at first. I should have caught the odd tone in his voice when he said, "Natalie..." but I was more caught off guard by the use of my first name.

I looked up at him from my book. "Yes?"

"Come here for a moment," he invited, sitting back in the chair across from me. His expression, as usual, didn't betray his thoughts. I got up and went around the table to stand beside him. He smiled up at me, but something in the smile seemed off. Calculated. He reached up and touched cool fingers to my jaw, his smile barely growing when his touch made me swallow hard. "To your knees, childe," he said softly. There was a moment's hesitation before I did as he ordered, the blood bond making me obey my sire. Now _I_ was the one looking up at him. I wondered what was going through his head as his gray eyes studied me and his fingers gently combed through my hair. Before I could even complete the thought, however, his fingers tangled in my hair in a painful grip, pulling my head back roughly. I could hardly swallow from my throat being pressed so hard against the skin of my neck. "Do I _bore _you, fledgling?" LaCroix hissed, leaning down to bring his face close to mine. It was only then that I realized how badly I'd screwed up.

I struggled to shake my head, my hands trying in vain to pull his grip loose. "Please..." I whimpered, my voice choked. "I'm sorry..."

"I grow weary of hearing your meaningless apologies every time you insult me," he said, fangs bared and glistening. His grip pulled more tightly, making me wince. "Perhaps I've been too lenient with you thus far." He let go of me with a thrusting motion away from him, throwing me back onto the floor. As he slowly stood, his posture and glare told me I'd crossed a line one too many times.

I scrambled back to my knees, bowing my head before him. "Please, my Prince, I'm sorry," I said, trying to keep my words steady. I was dangerously close to babbling whatever I felt he wanted to hear. "I have behaved terribly, and I've taken advantage of your leniency. I beg you to forgive me."

LaCroix chuckled. "I've been _much _too forgiving already," he said. "If you're going to learn to respect me—something I now see has never _truly _happened—you must be given reason to do so."

"Please, Prince LaCroix," I begged, looking up at him now. "I respect you! You're my sire and my Prince! I lost control of a bad habit!"

"Control is one of the most important things a Ventrue must possess, Miss Lucas," he said, folding his hands behind his back. "You are far enough in your _Agoge _that you should have shed these 'bad habits' by now. Since this has clearly not been the case, you will be paying penance for each 'bad habit' that shows itself."

A feeling of dread settled inside me. Who knew exactly what "paying penance" meant to someone like LaCroix? All I could do, however, was nod and say, "Yes, my Prince."

"To your feet. Come with me," he commanded, turning and walking towards the fireplace. I followed, trying to keep up with him though my feet wanted to drag upon seeing our destination. When he was standing beside the fireplace, he turned back to me and held out his hand. "Your hand."

I bit my bottom lip as I gave him my hand shakily. His fingers closed around it tightly; and his other hand came up to sharply hit the underside of my chin, making me bite into my lip like the first night of my _Agoge_. I whimpered, the sting of shame that went through me hurting more than the sting of my teeth piercing my skin. I'd been so good about not giving in to that urge until that moment. I looked up at him and saw him looking at me reproachfully, but he didn't say a word. Instead, he shifted his grip to just below my elbow, making me hold my hand out to the flames in the fireplace. I could feel the heat, somewhat pleasant from this distance. In my mind, though, I knew what was about to happen; and fear began to gather a lump in my throat, threatening tears. LaCroix, not letting me go, came around to stand behind me, his arm wrapped tightly around my waist. In any other situation, his closeness would have been comforting. This time, however, I knew he was using his own body to ensure I wouldn't be able to escape my punishment.

He stepped forward, forcing me to do the same. Almost instantly, the heat from the fire went from pleasant to too hot, like turning the heat of one's shower too high. I gasped as he pushed me forward another step, my hand now feeling as if it was in the midst of the flames. It wasn't; he was merely making me hold my hand _above _the fire. Regardless, every instant was pain. I let out an agonized moan as he lowered my hand just slightly, intensifying the heat. "Fire cleanses," he said into my ear as a choked sob escaped me. "Those bad habits will be _cleansed _from you in this manner any time I see one manifest itself." I nodded, my body trembling as I struggled to keep from losing full control and being reduced to a quivering mass of tears that he was holding up. "Will you be so quick to roll your eyes at me in the future?" he asked. I shook my head vigorously. "Will you think twice before letting your actions or words insult me?" I nodded, deep-seated instinct beginning to make me pant with panic. My hand felt as if the skin would boil off it soon. As a human, I'd held my hand at this distance over a campfire without much effect. As Kindred, this experience was teaching me two things: exactly how much more dangerous fire was now that I was undead and exactly how unafraid of being cruel LaCroix could be.

LaCroix whispered one last question into my ear. "Will you do everything in your power to ensure your Prince will keep you?" I nodded again while ignoring a nagging at the back of my mind that was telling me it was an odd question under these circumstances. "Tell me," he whispered, his cool breath against my ear.

"Yes, my Prince, _anything_," I forced myself to say.

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, LaCroix pulled me backwards. He still held me around the waist, his other hand leaving my elbow to smooth my hair as he whispered to me again. "_That _is what I wanted to hear." His lips brushed against my ear as I turned my hand over to survey the damage.

My skin looked like a gnarled, pale scar, slightly blackened in spots. The burning pain radiated halfway up my forearm. It was painful enough to distract from the fact that LaCroix's lips were traveling down my neck, but only for a few moments. Even when I finally _did _notice, his kisses didn't have the same impact as usual. "Will it heal?" I asked, my voice breaking slightly.

"Eventually," he said, the brush of his lips against my skin this time bringing the usual shiver. "It will linger long enough to be a nuisance as you try to write."

"Write?" My eyes closed as my head tilted to one side, allowing him more room. A soft moan from him reached my ears right before I felt his tongue running up my neck where my pulse had once been strong. He slid his free arm around me, pinning my shoulders against him. He seemed to have not even heard my question. Instead, he continued to leave open-mouthed kisses on my neck, his front teeth scraping against my skin from time to time. The burn on my hand let my thoughts concentrate more on what he was doing than I usually could, the pain still numbing his effect on me. I came to realize how much he was centering on that area, how it seemed to drive him slightly wild. It brought a little smile to my face. "You wish you'd taken your opportunity when I was mortal, don't you?" I asked softly.

LaCroix jerked back, and I turned my head to look him in the eye. His lips were slightly parted, a glazed look of lust just clearing from his eyes. He swallowed before speaking. "Giving you an example of how one maintains control," he said, but I detected a note in his voice I'd never recognized before: weakness. My eyes narrowed slightly as I looked at him, silently daring him to look away and confirm my suspicions. Of course, he did not. He met my stare fully. I would have expected no less from Prince Sebastian LaCroix.

I nodded, conceding and looking away first. "Of course," I replied. "After all...it wouldn't do for a sire to drink from his childe, especially before the conclusion of her _Agoge_, right? To be bound to her?" My eyes flicked up to his again. This time, his were the eyes that narrowed. I was dancing on a dangerous line, and I knew it. He didn't like anyone else knowing his thoughts if he didn't put a voice to them. But if it was his transparency in a moment of weakness that allowed me such insight, what could he punish _me _for?

"You presume too much," he said in a low growl, letting go of me and turning away.

Before he could leave the room and lock himself away, I said, "You mentioned that my burn would be a nuisance while writing. What am I to write?"

"Oh yes," he said, stopping and facing me again. His expression was stone-faced once more. No surprise there. "You'll be writing your bloodline from beginning to end, much like a family tree following the generations of Embraces." My jaw dropped in surprise, an expression that seemed to please LaCroix. "From memory," he added with a smirk, leaving me speechless as he left the suite.

* * *

Two nights later, I bared my fangs as I dropped my pen yet again. My hand _looked _better; but it still sent shocks of burning pain into my arm whenever I tried to write, no matter how loosely I held the pen. I'd tried concentrating as much blood as I could spare to the burned palm, but it wasn't working fast enough. When I'd questioned LaCroix about it, he'd said something about fire causing a deeper kind of damage than most other things could, taking longer to heal even with vampiric abilities. In other words, he'd _known _I'd still be in pain days later. Bastard. At the beginning of the evening, he'd left the suite without a word to me, leaving me to my thirst as I _still _couldn't get my lineage correct. I silently cursed LaCroix's grandsire for apparently extending his Kindred "family" with nearly too many childer to count. I wondered how many of them were still alive and cursed any and all of _them _as well. As one could imagine, with the pain in my hand, the aggravation at not being able to complete my task correctly after two nights, and the growing thirst that I was once again doomed to until I could get this "family tree" correct, my mood was less than cheerful. Which is why, when LaCroix came back to the suite, I nearly growled at him. "I understand the lesson you were teaching me when you held my hand to the fire," I said, giving him a sideways glance, "but I wonder if you realized just how much it would slow my progress as I can hardly hold a bloody _pen_."

"It is up to you to overcome such setbacks," he said with a bored sigh. "And watch your mouth."

"That was _hardly _obscene!" I protested, slapping my pen down against the tabletop. Unfortunately, the palm of my injured hand also slapped the surface of the table, sending a jolt of pain through my arm and making me yelp softly.

"'Hardly,' perhaps, but still a betrayal of emotion better left hidden from view," LaCroix said, coming over to the table. With a frown, he read over what I'd written so far. When he'd reached the end, he reached across for my hand. I winced as he took it, expecting pain but feeling none. He was being rather gentle, actually, careful to not grip too tightly as he inspected the palm. He ran the fingertips of his other hand over the skin of my palm, sending conflicting jolts of ticklish pain up my nerves. "You'll be fine," he assessed, letting me go and turning away.

"And the lineage?"

"Complete it. We'll then see how you've done."

I sighed and gingerly picked up the pen again. Typical LaCroix. Not even a nod or a frown to tell me if I was on the right track. He'd let me get through all the work, _then _tell me I'd made a mistake early in the line. But, this was learning _his _way, even if it seemed to be a waste of time. He wasn't much of a teacher, I'd decided. He merely told me what to teach myself and administered the tests and punishment. Worse yet, his lack of expression when reading over what I'd already completed was making me second guess myself. Instead of completing the list, I was looking back over the previous names, wondering if I'd reversed some by accident or if I'd placed one way too early in the list. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to just write the rest of the names I knew in the order I thought was appropriate rather than "fixing" the previous ones. "Done," I said, dropping the pen and folding my arms on the table to rest my chin on them. I was tired, both from working and from thirst. I wanted to leave the suite. I wanted time to soak in a warm bath. I wanted to spend time laughing with Mercurio again. Truth be told, I was getting depressed through the process of the _Agoge_; and that scared me. If I gave up, I was dead. Completely.

I stared straight ahead blankly as LaCroix looked over the list I'd written. "Hm. You're in quite a lot of pain, aren't you?" he asked thoughtfully.

"How could you tell?" I asked, my voice flat.

"Your handwriting is sharper than usual," he said, sliding the paper back in front of me. "It shows you're in pain or agitated. Both, I'd wager, actually."

I thought briefly about making a sarcastic remark about his powers of observation and then pushed the thought away. "Both," I confirmed, my voice muffled against my arms.

"Then perhaps it will brighten your mood to learn that you've succeeded finally," he said. I brought my head up slightly to look at the paper, then to LaCroix. He was giving me a small smile. "I expect you to be able to repeat this performance tomorrow night."

I nodded, managing a small smile of my own. "Yes, sir."

There was a short pause before LaCroix said, "You'll be wanting your blood, I assume?"

Unconsciously, I licked my lips; but I said, "Whenever you see fit."

My answer made him frown at me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Again, he didn't seem pleased with my answer. He lifted his chin, looking down his nose at me through slitted eyes. Then his expression relaxed as if he'd come to a realization. "You're feeling your change, finally," he said softly.

"What're you talking about?" I asked, failing to keep the agitation from my voice.

"Your ways have moved towards that of a Ventrue's nicely, but a part of you is clinging to your humanity. You've been unable to touch your beloved sunlight for days. You've been sustained on blood alone, never again to taste your favorite food or drink. In your subconscious, you're afraid of accepting what you've become; and it's manifesting itself as a slight depression." I looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. Personally, I felt he was reading too much into it; but I wasn't going to be the one to tell him that. He went on with a self-satisfied smile, "It's normal. You'll work your way through it, out of necessity more than anything. It's good to retain a portion of your humanity, of course; but there are some aspects you're forced to abandon."

"Of course," I echoed. "I'm sure I'll be fine after having that drink."

I stayed at the table while LaCroix got us both glasses of blood. I could feel his eyes on me as I drank, trying to go slowly to savor it. There was no telling what task would next be a reason for deprivation, and I wanted to be sure to enjoy what I currently had. LaCroix finally cleared his throat, breaking the silence in the room. "I would hope you know that, if there's something _else _bothering you..." I glanced up at him as his voice trailed off. When our eyes made contact, he frowned slightly and looked away, taking a drink from his glass.

The action made me smile. He was trying to offer support...comfort...something resembling one of those, and it was making him absolutely uncomfortable. It reminded me that he was probably unsure of how to be a "good sire" since I was his first childe. So I assumed, anyway. Truthfully, it was a little endearing to see him at least _trying_. "I'm fine," I reassured him. "You're right, in part. Otherwise, I'm just tired."

"Tired?" he repeated, looking back at me with a raised eyebrow.

I nodded, finishing the blood before going on. "Tired of all this. Discouraged, I guess. I was hoping I'd just zip through all this since I knew so much about vampires already." I shrugged. "Kinda stupid for me to think that."

LaCroix chuckled. "Your knowledge made you overconfident. It's understandable." I watched him walk away from the table to sit on the couch. His words confused me, primarily because they weren't belittling or reproachful. Rather, it felt more as if he was trying to reassure me again. Perhaps he was trying to tell me that my mind was in the right place, considering the circumstances? "If it's any consolation, you're nearing the end," he added.

Rising from my seat, I asked, "Really?" It had only been around a week, but the mixture of pain and constant thirst had made the time seem to stretch into an eternity.

He glanced up at me. "Of _this _portion of your _Agoge_, yes. I predict that, in a few nights, you'll be ready for your first presentation." I walked over to the couch to sit next to him. "It should be an interesting evening," the Prince said, giving me a smile that seemed to hide more than his words revealed. "After all, your presentation will be different from most."

"How?" I asked, licking my lips as I watched him drink from his glass. My one serving hadn't quite satisfied, but I knew better than to ask for more.

"Most are presented to the Prince of the city in their first presentation, the other Ventrue present merely as an audience," he explained. "Since you are a Prince's childe, you will be presented to the whole of Los Angeles's Ventrue population."

If I could have gone any more pale than I already was, I would have upon hearing those words. "No pressure," I said weakly.

LaCroix frowned. "You knew of this," he reminded me.

"Yeah, but I thought I'd feel _much _more ready for it!" I said. "If I don't have much more to learn..."

LaCroix waited until my voice trailed off and I left the sentence unfinished before he shook his head. "You don't have anything to worry about. This presentation is just for them to see how you act among others of your clan. You won't be quizzed or questioned. All you'll need to do is remember your etiquette and posture." He brought my chin up gently with a finger, the corner of his mouth curled up slightly. "You've been able to manage that since _before _your Embrace." His finger left my chin and quickly brushed my cheek. "Just remember that you are no longer _acting _like Ventrue. You _are _Ventrue."

I blinked at him in surprise as the truth of his words hit me. As his ghoul, among others of the clan, I'd tried my best to blend in, copying LaCroix's mannerisms and courtesies, even his ways of speech. But as of the night of my Embrace, I should have started thinking of myself as one of them. The smile on LaCroix's face had seemed familiar from the moment I first noticed it, and I now realized why: it was the same smile he gave when we were planning on acting in our little deception as lovers, a smile that spoke of a secret just between the two of us. Now, however, it seemed like more than that. He had _faith _in me. I found myself returning the smile and felt a little confidence coming back._ I am Ventrue,_ I thought, enjoying the sound of the words in my head. _Success is in the blood._ Aloud, I said, "I won't let you down, my Prince. I don't think it would be possible in the slightest."

"Oh?" He looked slightly amused.

I chuckled. "Of course not. It's _your _blood in me, after all. If I can't draw upon that and gain success, I've no right to it anyway." His wide grin at that lifted my spirits considerably. Or perhaps it was a delayed effect of the blood I'd drunk. Either way, there was no longer any doubt in my mind that the first phase of my _Agoge _was nearly over and that I'd passed with flying colors.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Oh, readers, my dear readers, how I love you. 26 chapters and over 100,000 words into this story, and you're still with me. Natalie's gone from ordinary ghoul, barely separated from kine by the blood of her master, to a fledgling Ventrue, her heart growing colder and more calculating by the night, the coldness only being staved off slightly by her love for her sire. Without you guys reading and supporting me with reviews and chats, she never would have made it THIS far; and she's still got quite a distance to go before those looming words of "THE END" pop up at the bottom of this page. I LOVE you all! Thanks for reading and for the reviews! :D

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Once I got myself into the right attitude about my work, I completed my scholastic training easily. I think I surprised even LaCroix, albeit pleasantly. Not quite another week had passed before I found myself standing in front of LaCroix's full length mirror in the bedroom, admiring how the black dress he'd bought for me to wear to my presentation gala seemed to cling in all the right places. Tiny silver threads were woven into the material, making the dress shimmer whenever I moved. I'd protested against his buying me another expensive dress, reminding him that I still had the one I'd worn to Samantha's birthday party. He'd seemed rather annoyed at the fact that I didn't realize it was gauche to wear the same dress to two separate Ventrue events, especially when the latter was in my own honor.

LaCroix himself had taken his leave, letting me know that he'd be getting ready in his office if I needed him. That was hours earlier, leaving me ample time to finally take the long, luxurious bath I'd been wanting. It struck me as I'd sunk into the warm water just how _human _the whole ritual was. After all, vampires don't exactly sweat unless under extreme duress; and even then, one would sweat blood, I'd learned. Nevertheless, the bath was comforting, perhaps because it allowed me to appreciate what humanity I had left. I was fast beginning to understand what LaCroix meant when he'd said that a certain amount of one's humanity was always to be kept.

I was in the middle of applying a touch of silver eyeshadow when there was a knock at the bedroom door. "Come in," I answered.

LaCroix entered the room wearing a black tuxedo, jacket open to reveal a dark silver vest and tie over a white shirt. I smiled at him, fully aware that we were slightly matching. Whether or not he'd planned such a thing, I had no way of knowing. He glanced at the makeup palette in my hand and frowned a little. "You've no need for that."

I smiled at the veiled compliment. "Oh, leave me be," I prodded gently. "It's habit. Makes me feel a little less naked."

I heard LaCroix give a slight huff of disapproval, but he didn't say anything more. Instead, he passed me and sat on the bed, watching me. It made me feel a little self-conscious, but I tried to keep him from knowing that. Finally, though, I couldn't bear it any longer. I was about to put a little gloss on my lips when I laughed and turned to him. "You can't possibly find this entertaining," I said.

He shook his head, giving me a tight smile. "No, nor do I find it necessary." He stood and walked over to me, taking the gloss from my hand and setting it on the nightstand with the rest of my makeup. "I don't want to be tasting that all night," he said quietly.

I grinned up at him, taking note of the fact that he'd not let go of the hand from which he'd taken the lip gloss. "Oh? You're planning a display of affection?" I purred.

"Not planning," he corrected. "Merely...making certain there won't be any disagreeable factors in play should such a display be appropriate. For whatever reason." I nodded, trying to keep a straight face at what I viewed as a flimsy excuse. Of course, in front of the whole Ventrue population of Los Angeles, we'd be once again playing our parts of lovers. I, for one, was looking forward to it. It would be a nice contrast compared to the previous week and a half. Of course, I couldn't tell how LaCroix thought of it; but judging by his current behavior, he wasn't seeming to mind much.

"As you wish, then, my Prince," I said, smiling at him.

"Ah. Yes, that reminds me," he said suddenly, letting go of my hand and walking into the bathroom. I didn't follow, choosing to sit on the bed instead. From the other room, he said, "Considering the situation, I trust you'll know how to address me should you need to?"

I hesitated. It had taken only one threat of punishment to get me in the habit of calling him by his title. Under this guise, though... "One would not call her lover by his title, I suppose," I said cautiously.

LaCroix came back out, straightening his coat. I could tell his hair was freshly recombed; and I could smell his cologne, stronger than usual since he'd apparently just applied it. "Good." He stopped in front of me, offering his hand to help me up, which I took. "Formal attire suits you," he noted softly.

I smiled. "As it does you." He returned the smile a bit more genuinely than I was used to seeing, tucking my hand into the crook of his arm as he led me out of the bedroom. I smiled, deciding to bring voice to my thoughts. "So, I get to call you Sebastian tonight?"

He gave me a strange look. "If you must."

I chuckled. "Well, I certainly can't be calling you 'Mr. LaCroix' or the like, now can I?"

"Of course not. Why do you ask if we've already established that you've permission?"

I grinned and shrugged, letting him open the door to the suite for me. Before leaving the room, I turned to him in the doorway. "I like calling you Sebastian. It just...fits." As I turned to walk to the elevator, I noted his look of confusion.

Sure enough, he said, "I'm not sure I understand your meaning."

As we waited for the elevator, I laughed. "It's the way you carry yourself, I guess. Even if you weren't a Prince, you've got a regality that's undeniable to anyone who's seen you, let alone talked to you. I'm willing to bet that you were born into money, if not nobility. The name Sebastian suits someone like you."

LaCroix stared at me incredulously for a moment until the gentle chime of the elevator's announcing its arrival and the whooshing of the doors opening snapped him out of it. "Er...yes, you're right," he said as we entered the elevator. "My mortal family _was _one of the wealthiest in the area at the time."

I grinned at him. "It shows. In all these years, you've never lost that air. Of course, I suppose you'd have no reason to lose it, as you certainly have _gained _power on top of what your family name already had."

He looked at me for a couple more moments before shaking his head with a chuckle. "I've created a monster," he said lightly.

"I beg your pardon?" I asked. His laugh had caught me off guard, his words even more so.

"Two weeks ago, when under no risk of being overheard by anyone, you'd have never spoken with such refinement or insight. Now listen to you. While you're still touching on subjects more personal than etiquette would normally allow, your way of speech would lead one to believe that you'd counted multitudes of high-ranking Ventrue as your mentors already."

I smiled, reaching up to touch his face gently. "How fortunate for me that my _first _mentor is the best I could ever hope to have," I said, fully aware that I was laying on the praise rather thickly. I didn't care. He'd dropped the persona of master and become my proud sire, and I loved him for it. I wanted him to know that I wouldn't let him down, that I wanted him to be proud to have me by his side, ruling the city together, being-

_Wait...ruling the city together?_ I thought suddenly. _When have I **ever** wanted that? This is **his** city. To claim it as **ours** without his stating his intent to share it makes it sound as if I wish to take his power for my own._

"Are you all right?" LaCroix's voice jerked me from my thoughts, and I blinked up at him. My hand was still against his cheek, but I hadn't noticed that his expression had changed from a smile to a frown until then

"Yes, I'm fine," I said, turning to the door as it opened in front of us. I knew LaCroix didn't believe me, but he didn't say anything as he led me outside and into the waiting limousine.

My own thoughts had disturbed me. I knew it was in part due to my being Ventrue now, but I didn't like the fact that I'd apparently been subconsciously expecting to share Los Angeles with LaCroix. He would _never _share his city, no matter what. I knew that. After thinking about it for a few more moments, I rationalized that my desire to be with him was in strong conflict with my Ventrue blood, trying to dream up ways for us to remain together _and _give me the leadership and power my clan had been granted from inception. If I were to claim another city as my own, I couldn't be with LaCroix; this vexed the part of me bound to him through blood. If I stayed by his side, I'd never be anything more than his trophy, never have anything to call my own, never have the opportunity to build my _dignitas _beyond that which automatically came from being the Prince's lover; this vexed the blue blood lying cold in my veins. And worse, I came to realize that, because I was LaCroix's childe, I wouldn't be satisfied by gaining small business holdings in _his _city. No, being the childe of Sebastian LaCroix, Camarilla Prince of Los Angeles, I felt the need to build my _own _empire, whether business or Camarilla based, possibly both as he'd done. His ambitious nature had become my own or perhaps brought out in me that which I'd never known to be deep under my surface. Either way, these ambitions posed a problem to the part of me that was now reaching for his hand and glowing warmly as he let me take it, his own hand pulling mine onto his leg in a gesture that seemed almost possessive.

We were driven to an exclusive country club in Beverly Hills. LaCroix had rented it for the presentation, turning down numerous security organizations who'd been informed that the CEO of the LaCroix Foundation was having a party of some sort and were trying to offer their services to the cause. Of course, the Prince had his own security in place this night, made up of Kindred stationed outside the doors of the club. Even these security personnel were not allowed into the party. Any Ventrue who may have wanted to cause trouble would be swiftly dealt with by his own clanmates. Not that any true Ventrue would cause such a brutish ruckus.

The limo dropped us off at the front door, and LaCroix led me inside. Of course, when news began to spread that we'd arrived, we quickly gained the attention of every Ventrue in the room, even without either of us using our Presence to influence it. I swallowed back the feelings of being overwhelmed as I noted how many Ventrue were attending the event. I had to impress _all_ of them. Plastering a small smile on my face, I reminded myself that I had everything needed to get through this. _I am Ventrue. One of them. LaCroix's blood is in my veins. Everything will be fine._

I looked up at LaCroix as he stopped to check his pocket watch. "We've got another twenty minutes until midnight," he murmured.

"What happens at midnight?" I asked.

He gave me a small smile. "Your formal presentation," he told me. "Everyone will gather, and I will present you as my childe officially from the stage." He gestured across the room, and I noticed a small stage where a string quartet was playing softly.

"I...won't be expected to say anything, will I?" I asked in a small voice. My Ventrue resolve was fading fast, and I was feeling more like plain old Natalie Lucas than I had in the whole past week.

LaCroix chuckled, patting my hand on his arm. "No. You'll step to the forefront of the stage beside me when I announce you, but there's no need for you to address the clan unless you wish to do so."

I shook my head, curls bouncing around my face as I did. "Definitely not," I said.

My emphatic reaction seemed to amuse LaCroix. "Come now, don't tell me public speaking _frightens _you?"

I pouted a little, looking up at him. "I know I'll probably need to get used to it eventually, but not while in the middle of my _Agoge_..."

He chuckled again. "Fair enough. Come. We must make the rounds and ensure everyone is here." I nodded and let him lead me around the floor, smiling and greeting those with whom LaCroix stopped to talk, allowing the men to kiss my hand and kissing the cheek of the women, just as I'd been taught. I said not a word besides a murmur of thanks or greeting when I was spoken to directly. Every time we departed from a group of guests, I heard them begin to talk quietly amongst themselves, presumably about me. All of my resolve was concentrated in keeping my smile in place and not fidgeting with my jewelry or dress as I felt their eyes on me. I couldn't appear self-conscious; it would be viewed as vanity and weakness by the clan. I'd planned earlier in the evening to try to come off as confident and calm but enthusiastic about being presented to the clan. Not _too _enthusiastic. Perhaps that was one of the hardest parts of becoming Ventrue: restraining emotion, especially happy ones. I'd been taught that even the purest happiness could be used against a person and was to be restrained into a mere outwards appearance of being content.

Once we had made our "rounds," LaCroix checked his watch again and wordlessly led me to the stage. We took the steps slowly as I had to ensure I wouldn't trip on my dress. LaCroix stopped and let go of my hand towards the back of the stage, and I could hear the crowd's murmurs beginning to quiet. They'd noticed that we'd taken the stage. LaCroix smiled at me and gently brushed a hand across my cheek. I returned the smile, clasping my hands in front of me as I was beginning to feel the onset of jitters from being in front of the entire clan. Turning away from me, LaCroix gave a nod to the string quartet, silencing them as he walked to the front of the stage. "Fellow members of Clan Ventrue," he addressed the crowd in a strong voice. Suddenly, I was even more glad that I wasn't expected to address them myself; there was no microphone to be seen. It was LaCroix's mere presence and voice that quieted the Kindred in the room; and in line with the laws of decorum, he wasn't using any disciplines or Ventrue "charms" to grab their attention. "My clanmates. It pleases me to see so many of you present here tonight as this evening marks a very special occasion. None of us would claim it to be easy to find a mortal who is suited to be Embraced by one of our clan. In this day and age, the number of Ventrue being Embraced is falling as the human race succumbs to more crass ways of life. Therefore, occasions such as this night are always a pleasant surprise...even if tonight's event was not much of a surprise to any of you." A wave of chuckles went over the crowd. I knew what LaCroix meant as well. Our relationship, being no secret amongst Kindred after Samantha's birthday party, had undoubtedly led many Ventrue to wonder when I'd be Embraced.

The Prince waited until the clanmates present fell quiet before speaking again. "Admittedly, I met the Kindred I present to you tonight quite by accident; and it was more a matter of nepotism that brought her into my service than anything else. Her grandfather convinced me she'd be a great asset to my organization; and as he has been one of my most trustworthy ghouls for nearly thirty years, I took his word for it and hired her, bringing her on as a ghoul as well." LaCroix shook his head and chuckled softly. "The rumors most of you undoubtedly heard shortly thereafter were true for the most part. It didn't take long for me to fall for the grace and charm she exhibited even as kine. The decision to Embrace her, however, was not an easy one." He paused. Dramatic effect, I decided. "Part of her charm was how _alive _she was, and I didn't know how I could ever find it in myself to take that from her. Many hours were spent talking, weighing the consequences of an Embrace over leaving her as mortal. When it came to bare facts, _not _Embracing her meant the dissolution of...of...well, of _us_, frankly." I smiled thinly and wondered how long he'd thought over how the story of our "romance" should go. Looking over the crowd, I noticed a few Ventrue whispering to each other. "Yes, I'm aware," LaCroix said, raising his voice slightly to interrupt those who'd started talking, "that this means she was Embraced in part due to the feelings and emotions held between us, something that I know is looked down upon in our clan. Rightfully so. However, had such a connection never come into play, I fully believe that I still would have chosen her to be my childe due to the intelligence and potential evident in her. She began her _Agoge _not quite a full fortnight ago and has come leaps and bounds into her own as a member of our clan already. As many of you will find in upcoming weeks as you may take a turn in mentoring her, she will carry her weight and be—I believe-one of the greatest members of the clan to date." I swallowed hard upon hearing those words. High expectations, especially for a Prince to be showing so publicly. For him to be announcing it in this setting, I had little doubt it was true. The weight of his words fell on my shoulders, and I struggled to keep my smile on my face. He finally turned to look over his shoulder at me, giving me a smile before turning back to the crowd. "If I may, fellow clanmates of Clan Ventrue, allow me to present to you my childe, Miss Natalie Lucas."

I stepped forward with my head held high as the crowd applauded. It was soft, polite applause. If it weren't for tradition, I doubted they would have clapped at all. I approached the front of the stage and curtsied deeply and formally, bowing my head low. Stepping back a couple paces, I looked at LaCroix standing beside me. He was beaming at me. This moment seemed to be a big deal to him. Or was it just a face he was putting on for the crowd? As usual, I couldn't tell. I stopped trying to figure it out when a voice in the crowd rose above the clapping. "Speech!" Wide-eyed, I looked to see who yelled it out; but I could find no one. To my horror, another voice echoed the request. "Speech!" Then a few more. Soon, the applause had picked up in volume, shouts for me to give a speech going through the crowd like ocean waves. I glanced at LaCroix, panicked. This wasn't supposed to happen! Ventrue were supposed to be relatively quiet and demure, right? Not crying out for a speech from a fledgling! When my eyes met LaCroix's, I could tell he was intrigued. His eyes were slightly narrowed, just barely. He was watching me, waiting, seeing how I'd respond to this turn of events when he _knew _I didn't want to have to speak. When I looked back to the crowd, I found several of them wearing the same expression. It became clear that I was being tested, put under a spotlight to see how easily I'd break under pressure in this early stage of my _Agoge_. It wasn't a request for a speech; it was a challenge.

_All right, then,_ I thought, raising my chin a little higher. This made it easier. If I was being challenged, my stubborn nature would help me through a task. I glanced back at LaCroix and gave him a small smile and nod. His own smile widened ever so slightly. _Challenge accepted._ I stepped back to the front of the stage, smiling at the crowd. Like when I'd been summoned by the elders of the clan, I was glad my heart no longer could beat. Its thumping in my chest would have only reminded me of how nervous and scared I was to have all those eyes on me, so many Kindred weighing my every word and judging me by them. "Clan Ventrue," I started, trying to project my voice like LaCroix. I didn't feel as if my words were as clear and strong as his, but the Kindred gathered began to quiet anyway. I waited until I could be heard more easily, then tried to give as comfortable a smile as I could manage. "Thank you, all of you. I'll admit that I'm rather surprised that you wish to listen to the words of such a young one as myself, but I am overwhelmingly humbled by it as well. I have very little to say, I'm afraid; so I'll be brief." I paused, my smile becoming more genuine. This wasn't so bad, the more I thought about it. My clanmates weren't exactly going to interrupt me or heckle me. Too rude. Not Ventrue style at all. I silently thanked whatever fates at brought me to this point that I hadn't been Embraced into Clan Brujah or one of the other less etiquette-minded clans. "I was fortunate enough to learn a little about this clan before my Embrace thanks to being directly employed by Prince LaCroix, so the honor of being brought into Clan Ventrue was not lost on me. And as if that honor wasn't enough, my Embrace was granted to me by a Kindred that I had looked up to since I first began to work for the LaCroix Foundation. I was afraid that I was not fit to be counted among those who share the blood of Ventrue, but Prince LaCroix showed unshakable faith in me. Now that I _am _part of the clan, it is my goal to show all of you exactly _why _he has that sort of faith in my abilities. I want nothing more than to contribute to the honor and _dignitas _of Clan Ventrue as a whole. I thank you all for the warm reception this night, and I am looking forward to getting to know all of you individually as I continue my _Agoge_. I know there is much that I will learn from my prospective mentors, and I welcome such opportunities." Giving the crowd a bright smile, I bowed low again. "Once more, thank you all, and good evening."

A split second of silence made me panic that I'd done or said something wrong, but the crowd slowly began to applaud. I turned and walked back to where LaCroix was standing at the back of the stage with his hands clasped behind his back. He smiled at me and gently cradled my cheek in his hand for a moment before slipping an arm around my waist and guiding me off the stage. I felt shaky. Either I'd confirmed that vampires retained the ability to produce adrenaline or at least something like it, or power of suggestion was bringing back an old human reaction of trembling. "Was that okay?" I asked LaCroix softly.

"I don't know why you were so afraid of speaking," he said with a chuckle. "You rose to the challenge put in front of you with more ease than any of them could have expected."

"'Any of _them_'?" I repeated, glancing up at him. "What about _you_?"

He laughed lightly again. "There was no doubt in my mind you'd do well when the call went up."

His words made me want to giggle and hug him. Such open praise from him gave me an amazing feeling. Instead, however, remembering where we were, I merely put my arm around his waist and hugged him close to my side with a grin on my face. "It did seem odd that someone would shout out for a speech," I noted.

"Indeed. But not completely surprising. There are several who want to prove that I've made a bad choice in Embracing you."

"Especially after you admitted it was fueled by emotion?" I asked carefully.

"Yes." He left his answer at that one word.

For the next several hours, we chatted with our clanmates, extricating ourselves from one conversation just to fall into another. Our most amusing encounter, however, was from a Ventrue who'd traveled quite a distance to attend, as he was an old business acquaintance of LaCroix's. He asked me if I had any siblings who would be just as suited for the clan as I was, hardly even veiling his jealousy that I was someone else's childe. In response, I smiled graciously and apologized that I did not. Like hell I'd tell him about Scottie, my brother back in New York. The Ventrue seemed disappointed and walked away with an air that told me I was no longer of any use to him.

"It's good to see you haven't let sentiment cloud your judgment completely, Prince LaCroix," a male voice said from behind us. I recognized the voice but couldn't place name to it until we turned to see Ingram and Layla. It was a struggle to keep a smile on my face instead of a look of shock. I'd had no idea they were still in the Los Angeles area after LaCroix's threats towards them.

LaCroix smiled slightly, but his tone of voice had a bit of iciness in it. "Of course not," he responded. "Then again, visiting with the clan elders will always clear one's head as well."

The corners of Ingram's mouth twitched as he held back a smile. My smile nearly faltered as a flash of anger went through me, visions of clawing the lips that dared to even _attempt _to smile smugly right off his face going through my mind's eye. "Yes, this is very true," Ingram said to LaCroix before looking at me. I allowed him to take my hand to kiss the back of it, as much as it pained me to permit such a thing. "Miss Lucas, a pleasure to see you again, especially under such circumstances."

I nodded politely. "Likewise, Mr. Ingram. I'm pleased that you and Miss Neubauer were able to attend tonight." I glanced at Layla, but she and LaCroix seemed to be locked in a stare down. It made me uneasy. As if she felt my eyes on her, Layla looked at me; and I smiled a bit. She leaned towards me mechanically, allowing us to trade the traditional Ventrue female greeting of a kiss on each other's right cheek. As our greeting was exchanged, I looked at LaCroix. His expression was foreign, but as unreadable as ever. Taking LaCroix's hand, I drew close to him. "Sebastian, would you mind terribly if we went over to the bar?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light. "I'm a bit thirsty."

"Of course, darling," he said smoothly. "Mr. Ingram, Miss Neubauer, please excuse us." Ingram nodded with a small smile; Layla was as cold and unresponsive as usual.

I led LaCroix away from them but kept our pace relatively slow as we walked towards the blood bar that had been set up for the evening. "I had a feeling you two would have been at each other's throats if I didn't-"

"_Please _don't use that term in regards to her," LaCroix said suddenly, sounding weary. I looked at him, surprised. He glanced back at me, then shook his head. "Excuse me. I shouldn't have interrupted you."

"No, it's okay," I said softly, wondering what was bothering him specifically. Layla was really a sore spot for him for some reason. I wondered if she'd hurt him more than he cared to admit. If that was true... Another flash of rage hit me, and I looked over my shoulder into the crowd to see if I could spot her. I couldn't; she and her sire had melted back into the sea of Kindred. The thought of her hurting LaCroix enough to effect him sixty years later, however, made me clench my teeth together. I picked up the glass of blood that had been set on the bar before me by the Ventrue watching over the different vintages. "Are you all right, though?" I asked LaCroix before taking a drink.

He looked at me, seeming startled as if he'd already forgotten I was right next to him. "Of course," he answered.

"You don't seem it. She bothers you."

A muscle jumped in LaCroix's jaw, telling me I was right. "Not to be discussed here, Natalie," he said quietly, gulping down his own glass of blood. The action reminded me of an upset man throwing back a shot of hard liquor.

"Understood." As I finished my drink, I watched him stare at the bar, eyes narrowed in thought. Setting my empty glass on the bar, I took LaCroix's hand in mine, making him look at me. Without a word, I pulled him to a corner of the room to sit on an old-styled couch with me. "You're supposed to be happy tonight," I reminded him, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "I like it better when you're happy."

A corner of his mouth twitched upward slightly. "And I suppose you're going to try to _make _me happy?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I know better than to think that kissing you or something like that will make whatever she just did to you go away."

LaCroix shook his head. "Not much could make _her _effect just 'go away,'" he admitted. "But I have an obligation to you to at least _appear _unshaken tonight." He smiled and leaned over, giving me a light kiss on the lips.

"Maybe after this, you'll tell me what's wrong? What _really _happened between you two?" I asked, keeping hold of his hand so he couldn't leave.

"It's not your concern," he said, a touch of coldness touching his voice again.

"But I _am _concerned."

He sighed, looking at me with an annoyed expression. "You've no reason to be."

I scooted closer to him and lowered my voice to a whisper. "That's B.S., LaCroix, and you know it," I argued. "She's got some kind of deep hold on you that shakes you every time you see her; and if you think I can't see that, you severely underestimate me." He opened his mouth to say something, but I put up a finger to let him know I wasn't finished. "And every time I see you uncharacteristically shaken to your very _core _like that, I want to rip her face off and feed it to her for making you feel that way. I can't help that I want to protect you. It's in my blood, remember?"

LaCroix sighed again, eyebrows knitting together a little as he studied me. Finally, he shook his head again. "Your...caring is noted," he said quietly. "And I appreciate your separating us from that encounter. But right now, with your _Agoge _ongoing..." He cradled my face in his hand gently before kissing me softly, his lips lingering on mine a little before he spoke again. "We have more important things to concentrate on than troubles from my past."

I nodded, knowing I wasn't going to get any more out of him than that. As if thanking me for letting it go, he kissed me again, a little longer and more deeply this time. When he pulled away, I looked into his eyes; and words began to pour from my lips unbidden. "You know I love you, right?" I asked, wishing I could take them back as soon as I'd said them.

His smile was back, small yet smug. "I know."

The response was encouraging, and I risked saying a little more. "And you know I'd do anything for you."

The smile grew slightly. "I'd hoped."

"Even if you asked me to...do something...about..." I twitched my head in the direction of the crowd, shifting my eyes as well.

LaCroix's smile turned into the look of intrigue I'd seen while we were on the stage. "Well..." he breathed, "...that is an..._interesting _offer."

"I mean it," I insisted. I could feel a wild excitement rising in me at LaCroix's reaction to what I'd said. Layla Neubauer had never given me a good feeling; and my instinct told me that getting her out of LaCroix's life for good was necessary. I just didn't know how. Other than the obvious, that is. _If he asked me to kill her, would I? Even that?_ I wondered as my eyes stayed locked on LaCroix's. _Of course. Anything for him._

"Perhaps..." He spoke slowly, his expression contemplative. "Perhaps we'll speak of this later." I nodded, and he smiled as he stood and helped me up from the couch. He led me back into the crowd, and we spent the rest of the evening making sure that I made all the contacts that LaCroix wanted me to make, prospective clanmates to learn from further into my _Agoge_. Occasionally, though, I caught LaCroix giving me an odd look. Usually smiling, but his eyes told me that he was working on a plan. That much, at least, was obvious.

* * *

When we finally returned to Venture Tower, sunrise was roughly an hour away. In the elevator, LaCroix pressed the button for the 56th floor as usual, then turned to me and said, "I expect you'll want to sleep in your own suite for a change tonight."

"I wasn't aware that was an option," I responded.

He smirked. "You've completed the first part of your _Agoge_. You may spend your days in your own suite if you wish."

I laughed. "It would be nice to sleep in a bed again rather than on a couch," I remarked. Tilting my head to the side, I grinned at him. "Though I like _your _bed more."

"Oh?" He pressed the button for the 55th floor; we were only at the 17th. "Why is that? They're identical."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the way he sidestepped my innuendo. "Yours smells like you. And usually has you in it during the day, as I understand." LaCroix cleared his throat. There was the uncomfortable stance, arms crossed in front of him, weight on his left foot rather than standing straight, chin high and obviously determined to stare only straight ahead. I sighed dramatically and walked over to lay my head on his shoulder. "But I suppose, as I've not passed my final test, your bed isn't an option you're willing to offer. This is correct, yes?"

He didn't answer, instead slipping an arm around my waist and leading me out of the elevator as we reached my floor. I took my key card out of my purse and slid it through the electronic lock, hearing the click that told me my suite was now unlocked. As I turned to face LaCroix, he asked, "Do you need me to bring down your belongings?"

I shrugged and shook my head. "I'll get them after sunset." I reached behind me and opened the door. "Want to come in for a few moments? We can talk about the...offer I presented earlier?"

LaCroix smiled slowly. "Tempting...but now is not the time to talk about it."

I frowned. "Why not?"

"There is more that needs to be done before such things are considered." He narrowed his eyes slightly, his smile once more hiding a secret he wasn't ready to reveal. "Trust me, I will not forget your offer. I have other plans for you first, though..." I closed my eyes as he touched my cheek gently, my tongue darting out to wet my lips as his fingers trailed down to my neck. I reached out for him, putting my arms around his neck and pulling him into a kiss. He hesitated at first, then pulled me closer, his arms around my waist. When the kiss was broken, he whispered, "You're being rather bold tonight."

"I don't hear you complaining," I said with a chuckle.

I tried to pull him back into another kiss, but he instead let me go and stepped back out of my grasp. "Sunrise comes soon," he said, slowly backing towards the elevator but still with a smirk on his face. "Sleep well, Miss Lucas. Come up to the office when you awake." I nodded as he entered the elevator, the doors closing between us.

Left alone, I entered my suite and closed the door behind me. My mind was full of unanswered questions, but sleep _was _beginning to cloud those thoughts. Still, though, I wondered what the _real _story about Layla was. Also, what were these "other plans" that LaCroix seemed to have in mind? And would he really take me up on my offer to...deal with Layla? As I went into the bedroom and began to undress for bed, I pressed my lips together tightly. _"Deal with" her... _I thought. _Fuck that. No matter how pretty or Ventrue-like the phrasing, it comes down to one thing. I want to kill the bitch. She's hurt Sebastian somehow, and her mere presence rips open that wound like a knife. The only way to stop that is to do away with her._

I turned out the light and slipped into bed, disturbed by my own thoughts. I wondered if it was the Beast that LaCroix warned me about. Ventrue didn't plan how to _kill _members of their own clan, did they? This was one instance that I couldn't know from my training or logical deduction how to react. I didn't feel comfortable with asking LaCroix about it as he'd already steered me away from the subject twice in one night. This was something I'd have to live with until he brought it up, whenever that would be. I settled against my pillow with a sigh. The only thing I could do at this point was view it as a test of my self-control. I'd allow myself to think about it, maybe even to plan it, but not to act on it unless LaCroix told me to. I still couldn't help but worry a bit about the raw violence in my thoughts regarding Layla, but worrying wouldn't do me any good. I forced myself to push it aside and let sleep take me.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Just a slight warning here that I feel is necessary but very lightly spoilerish, so my apologies. In the game, when playing as a female character, to drink from the blood dolls, one has to have a little bit of a bisexual/lesbian streak. xD Nat DOES have to tap into that a bit in this chapter; so if any of you readers are squicked by girl/girl kisses, my apologies. (Also, I apologize for not posting this warning when the chapter first went up. I'd intended to, then forgot all about it. Mea culpa...)

* * *

**

___Claws and blood and screams and pained grunts and fangs... A physical clash between vampires is never pretty. But it is daylight, out in the open. I can see the two combatants clearly, his dark suit torn and stained with blood. ____**Whose**____ blood is too hard to tell; it could belong to either. He overpowers the woman, his hand closed around her throat as he holds her to the ground with a knee in her abdomen. Still, she struggles and growls, her claws tearing bloody lacerations into his face._

___I call his name, my own voice mute to my ears. Still, he turns and looks over his shoulder at me. He grins widely and gives a command for me to approach him. I do as he says, and he commands the woman under him to stay still. She obeys, and he stands. He speaks to me now, but I can't make out the words. He touches my face, then looks over his shoulder at the woman on the ground, giving her a nod. She rises and clasps her arms around his neck. They both smirk at me, and I feel cold rage rising._

___The woman touches his face, making him turn to her; and she bares her neck to him. He lowers his head to drink, but I lunge at the woman. Once they are separated, I launch my own attack upon her, tearing the wounds he'd given her open again and making them deeper than they'd originally been. She screams in pain and tries to throw me off her. I let her, but only to get footing to roll her onto her stomach. My boot lands in the middle of her spine, and I take both her shoulders in my hands, pulling up as hard as possible until her back is bent at an inhuman angle. Snap.

* * *

_

I awoke with a jerk. At first, I forced myself to stay still, afraid I'd fall off the couch. A moment later, I remembered I was in my own bedroom, in my own bed. Sitting up, I looked around the dark room, unable to see much but feeling claustrophobic in spite of it. My room was quite a bit smaller than LaCroix's living area. I got up and turned on the light, pushing the nausea induced by my dream down in my throat. I needed blood. I was feeling shaky. I hadn't had much to drink at the gala the previous night, and it was starting to affect me. Quickly, I showered and dressed before leaving my suite and going to LaCroix's office.

I couldn't find him upon a quick scan of the large, open office initially. I could hear him, though, muttering to himself somewhere; and I finally spotted him kneeling behind his desk, looking through a drawer. As I approached the desk, I noticed deep scratches and marks on the floor as well as a noticeably darker spot on the wood around the scratches. "What in the world happened here?" I asked. LaCroix wasn't one to let his possessions be destroyed, especially his office.

LaCroix brought his head up, an annoyed frown on his face. When he saw where I was standing, he went back to whatever he was doing. "A bit of a struggle while trying to subdue Mr. Xavier," he answered, his words clipped and spoken fast.

I frowned in LaCroix's direction, then looked around the office. My eyes landed on Blake's figure in the corner, a wooden stake buried in his chest. I walked over to him slowly, almost creeping for some reason. His eyes were open, making me shudder. He looked dead. I knew he wasn't. At that moment, he was nothing more than a morbid piece of decoration in the office, tossed in a corner as if its owner didn't know whether or not it was worthy of keeping. "You're just going to leave him like this?" I asked LaCroix.

"Of course not," he said without looking up this time.

Looking at Blake, I felt more revulsion than anything. I didn't feel pity for him, even in this position. Still, though, it seemed a shame that things had taken the path they had. Blake could have been a good friend. Turning away from him, I walked over to LaCroix's desk. Before I could speak, my sire growled and slapped some papers onto the desk's surface. "This is the _last _time I take an extended absence," he grumbled. "Is there _no one_ competent enough to take messages and file some paperwork in the same manner in which it's been filed for _years_? Two weeks away, and I have practically a _month's_ worth of work to repeat." He stood and slammed the drawer closed before tapping the edge of the papers on his desk against the surface to straighten them, taking them to one of the filing cabinets against the wall.

Instead of following him, I leaned against the desk. "I thought we were going to be heading to Florida soon," I reminded him.

He looked at me, eyes flashing angrily at first; then he sighed deeply, shoulders slumping and head falling. "You're right," he groaned. "Though I have a mind to postpone that until I get caught up from _this _mess."

I shrugged. "Go ahead. I don't believe Mr. Xavier's going anywhere."

LaCroix chuckled quietly, bringing his head back up. "Indeed. In truth, our errand to Florida is why I wanted to speak with you this evening," he said, turning back to the papers he was filing.

"Good, because I've been curious about that," I said, crossing my arms. "All I know is that we're going there to-"

"Stop," LaCroix said, holding up a hand. My words cut off immediately at his command. He looked over his shoulder at me. "He may be paralyzed there, but he can still hear what we say. As I assume he can also comprehend what he hears, I'd rather not discuss it in his presence."

"All right, so where, then?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

"We'll meet later tonight in your suite," he answered.

"So, you had me come up here to schedule a meeting. That's great..."

LaCroix turned to me with an eyebrow raised. "Are you implying that I am wasting your time, Miss Lucas?"

His tone of voice broke through my annoyance and made me lower my gaze to the floor. "No, my Prince, of course not."

"Good." He closed the drawer he was working in and walked back to the desk. I expected him to sit, but instead he stood in front of me. "Have you had a drink tonight?" he asked. I shook my head. With a finger under my chin, he made me look up at him. "No wonder you're irritable," he said. Turning back to the desk, he sat in his chair and began gathering some other papers scattered on the desk. "Go feed. We'll meet downstairs in three hours. That should give me enough time to at least _begin _to regain some semblance of order in this mess."

His words of "go feed" confused me for some reason. I knew what he meant of course, but did he expect me to go alone? The fact that he was already seeming to forget I was standing right next to him told me he did. "Um..."

He slowly turned his head to look at me, a deep frown etched into his features. "I thought I told you to go," he said harshly.

"Um, yes, sir," I said, leaving the office quickly. I was slinking out like an abused dog, afraid of her master's raised hand. I wanted a taste of the bottled blood in his suite. I didn't want to have to go hunt. It felt...below me. And when I realized that, I grimaced. I was thinking like a spoiled, entitled child, expecting LaCroix to give me everything I needed. With a finger, I violently stabbed the call button for the elevator, disgusted with myself. He was my sire and benefactor, yes; but that didn't give me any right to expect favors from him, especially in regards to my most basic needs as Kindred. Correction: my only true need as Kindred. Blood.

I exited the tower and looked around the downtown street, trying to decide where to go. My options narrowed to the Empire Arms bar where I'd gotten my first taste of _fresh _blood or Confession. Neither sounded particularly...appetizing. I reminded myself that I _did _have three hours to feed and get back to Venture Tower. Santa Monica wasn't far. Surely, this one time, Mercurio would help me out. Smiling, I found an idling taxi and got in, giving him Mercurio's address.

* * *

"I can't believe you're actually denying me!" I argued, my voice rising.

My grandfather stood in front of me with his arms crossed, an angry frown on his face. "You're goin' about this all wrong, Nat! You know this isn't what LaCroix had in mind!"

"As if he'll know!"

We stared at each other for a couple more seconds before Mercurio shrugged and shook his head again. "I told you before. No. You need your practice."

"It's _one _time!" My fangs were bared now. "You're _family_!"

"Yeah, that's why I wanna make sure you can take care of yourself instead of depending on me or LaCroix for your blood." Throwing up my hands, I flopped onto Mercurio's couch and pouted. My own _family _was denying me a drink of his blood, just what I'd need to get me by until after my meeting with LaCroix. Then...well, I probably wouldn't go out again until next night, but at least I'd be set for the meeting. Mercurio sat down next to me and put his hand over mine. "You're wastin' time here that you could be spending on finding someone you can drink from," he said gently.

"If you'd just _give _me your blood, I wouldn't be wasting my time," I grumbled.

"Come on, Nat, you're not that stupid _or _spoiled," Mercurio said. "Just 'cause you're a Ventrue doesn't mean everyone's gonna bend over backwards to let you drink from 'em. It's just as much work as any other clan has to do."

"Oh, what would you know?" I growled at him, jerking my hand away and standing. "You're just a fucking _ghoul_."

"Yeah, just like _you _were a month ago," he said, narrowing his eyes angrily as he got up as well. "Now listen, if you don't want me to give LaCroix a call to let him know what you're up to-"

"You _wouldn't_..."

"-then I'd suggest you go find someone to drink from before you wind up being late for your meeting. The Asylum's right down the street. You could probably find someone there."

I looked at Mercurio incredulously. "You'd _really _rat me out..."

He shrugged, hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Hey, don't think it'd make me happy to narc on my own flesh and blood, but remember whose blood I'm bound to."

My fists were clenched at my sides, my jaw tight. I was seething that my own grandfather would consider tattling on me! "Yeah...yeah, I remember," I spat. "Guess vampire blood is thicker than family blood."

"Come on, Nat, you're bein' unreasonable! You know how it is!"

He was right; I did. I was just angry that I couldn't have my way. And once more, he was right: I was acting like a spoiled child. I'd _never _acted that way, even when I _was _a child. Sighing, I relaxed, giving Mercurio an apologetic look. "You're right," I finally admitted out loud. "I...I don't know what's wrong with me."

Mercurio stepped closer and gave me a hug. It felt nice, a reminder of human affection, warmer and more sincere than the calculated and almost teasing touches and tastes that LaCroix gave me. "You're new at this, and you've got one of the biggest brats in the business as your sire," Mercurio said, making me giggle. "He gets what he wants, _when _he wants it; and I think he's passed that to you. You just aren't in a position to demand it like he does."

I grinned at him. "Yet..." I said with a wink.

He laughed, pulling me close again and kissing my cheek. "Yeah, yeah, you two are gonna take over the world here pretty soon," Mercurio said with a chuckle.

I shrugged. "At least California."

"Nah. With LaCroix, it'll be the world. Nothin' less." We both laughed again, and Mercurio patted my cheek. "You better get goin'. Get some blood in you, and I'm sure you'll feel ten thousand percent better."

I nodded, smiling at him. Even now, after my Embrace, he still treated me exactly the same. To him, I was still just Nat. I hoped it would always be like that. "I'll call you soon, okay?" I told him as I headed to the door.

He shrugged with a smile. "When ya can."

I nodded and gave him a little wave before leaving the apartment, closing the door behind me. On my way out, I bumped shoulders with a woman coming into the Santa Monica Suites building. "Apologies, Princess!" she said in a lilting voice, putting both hands on my arms as if to steady me. Her eyes looked me up and down rapidly, and she smiled. I smiled back, not recognizing the woman at all but noting fangs revealed at the edge of her smile. Her eyes finally met mine; and she nodded, stepping back. She held out one arm towards the end of the hall, pointing. "This is the way to the fleet-footed god?"

I blinked at her, confused. "Excuse me?"

"This is the residence of the fleet-footed one, yes?"

I stared at the girl for a moment longer before deciphering what she was saying. "Fleet-footed...oh, Mercurio, right?" She grinned and nodded emphatically. I chuckled. "Yeah, end of the hall, on the right."

"My thanks, Princess."

Before the woman turned to leave, I grabbed her arm. "Wait...why do you call me Princess?" I asked, already having a feeling I knew the answer.

Pursing her lips, she looked at my hand around her wrist then back up at me. "You're married to our Prince," she said.

Swallowing hard, I gave an uncomfortable laugh. "No...no, I'm sorry, but you're mistaken. I'm not married to the Prince."

She gave another grin, this one a little disconcerting. Her free hand came up to barely brush my cheek. "You're married through blood, not gold, Princess. Shame he's not married to you..."

"You're talking about our bond?" I asked, frowning. "Of course he wouldn't be bonded to me. He's the Prince, and my sire besides."

The Malkavian smiled gently, tipping her head to the side. "Yes...he is..."

My eyes narrowed as I sensed she knew something I didn't. "I wouldn't ask him to be bonded to me," I said softly. "I have no right to that."

"But if he _gave _himself to one, perhaps he'd give himself to you as well."

Startled, I let go of her wrist. "'As well'? What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "The god awaits me, Princess." The woman turned to leave, but I grabbed her again. Violently, she shook me off her arm, baring her fangs at me. "I won't keep Mercury waiting!" she said loudly, her voice growing shrill.

"Please! Just let me know what you meant by 'as well'! The Prince is bound—er, _married _to someone else?"

The Malkavian frowned and looked me up and down again. "Ask _him _about his bride," she said. With that, she turned and shot me a glare over her shoulder as she walked away, a silent warning to not grab her again.

I sighed, a small chuckle escaping me as I left the building. Mercurio hated dealing with Malkavians...

* * *

I decided to take Mercurio's advice and headed to The Asylum. The Malkavian woman's words about "the Prince's bride" ran through my head over and over, but focusing on them wasn't going to help me get my blood now. Inside the club, I made my way to the stairs on the side of the dance floor, bypassing the bar. It held nothing for me now. As I was about to climb up to the second floor, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I sighed, already knowing who it was without looking. "Jeanette..."

"Hi there, kitten," she purred, her smirk painted dark red as always. "I'm surprised you're alone!"

I shrugged. "This isn't really the Prince's scene, you know?"

Her smirk grew. "True...but what about Blakey?"

"Blake and I don't really get along," I said, trying to keep my expression neutral.

Jeanette chuckled, crossing her arms. "That's not how it looked a few weeks ago," she said in a sing-song voice.

"Yeah, well, things change." I turned to go upstairs, but Jeanette's hand on my arm stopped me again.

"Wait. What happened?" She pouted, her face obviously feigning concern and merely looking for gossip.

"We had a falling out," I said, trying to keep my voice from sounding too venomous.

"Oh? What a shame! Oh well, at least you have your royal boy-toy to keep you company." Jeanette sighed, and a flare of temper threatened to make me lash out at her. How dare she refer to Prince LaCroix in such a flippant manner! "Royal boy-toy" indeed! Before I could say anything, Jeanette grinned at me. "So, where might I be able to find Blakey since he's apparently available?"

My eyes narrowed at her, and I struggled to keep from baring my fangs. "How should I know? I prefer to not associate with him any longer."

"Ooo, sounds _scandalous_!" she said, licking her lips. "What'd the naughty little boy do?"

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "I really don't think that's any of your business, Jeanette..."

She pouted again. "Don't you think I should know if he did something really nasty? You wouldn't want a fellow female falling for him if he's a snake, would you?"

I smirked. "Jeanette, I know better than to think you'd fall for _anyone_. Something about him made you want to...spend more time with him, but I highly doubt you're in love."

"Hm." She planted her hands on her hips, regarding me haughtily. "Fine. I'll find him myself, then."

"You do that," I said, rolling my eyes as I went upstairs. She didn't stop me this time. I hoped she wasn't exactly obsessed with Blake. She wouldn't be happy to find out where he really was. Then again, the reason behind his current location might be reason enough for her to drop interest. Regardless, she wouldn't be finding out what happened from me. It was..._sensitive_ information for the time being.

On the upper floor of the club, I scanned the few people present there. A few scantily clad women, dressed in cyber-punk regalia or leather and lace. A couple men in tight leather pants and masks. I couldn't catch the scent of anyone fit to feed on. With a sigh, I leaned on the banister, looking out over the dance floor. My eyes landed on a woman, red hair, form-fitting jeans, a low-cut black top. She stood out as the most _normally _dressed person there by societal standards. The fact that my attention was held by her, though, made me go back downstairs and try to get close to her. Her eyes caught mine as I approached. She kept dancing, but her gaze never left my face. I licked my lips slowly, crooking a finger at her to beckon her over. She grinned, turning her back. The refusal made me grin as well. _A tease, eh?_ I thought. _All right, I'll play along, miss hard-to-get._

Pushing my way through the crowd on the dance floor, the girl seemed to be leading me through them, staying just far enough away to remain out of reach. We wound up in a dark corner of the club, just off the dance floor to the side of the empty stage. In spite of the fact that I'd been the one to beckon her to me, she had _me _following _her_. Clever girl. Regardless, I stayed confident. She knew I wanted her, though I doubted she knew for what. Her eyes on mine, she backed up against the wall. I smiled, walking up close to her, making sure to send my blood to my skin so she could feel some body warmth radiating from me. I was slightly taller than her, making me look down into her eyes a bit. _Good. All the better for dominance. _Gently, I brushed a few strands of hair off her cheek. My touch made her glance away, her cheeks flushing a little more deeply than the heat of the dance floor had already done. Her heartbeat jumped in my ears, her breathing a little rapid.

Grinning, I pressed my body against hers, pinning her against the wall as I lowered my face to her neck. She smelled of some flowery perfume, but the scent of her blood was breaking through that. It was making my mouth water. I nosed her head to the side, nuzzling the curve of her jaw. Surprising me, she turned her head back towards me, her lips catching mine. My eyes flew open as she kissed me, but I soon recovered and returned the kiss. If this is what would get her to give in to me... My hand went to the back of her neck, her skin hot and slick with sweat from where her hair had kept her body heat trapped. I tangled my fingers in her hair, pulling her head down and to the side as I kissed her. She shuddered against me, letting out a moan. I chuckled, pulling back and looking into her eyes. They were blue, I noticed, dark with lust. "I want to make you feel something sensational," I whispered to her. She moaned again lightly, her eyes closing as she nodded. _All mine now,_ I thought as I lowered my head to her neck again. The scent of her blood was getting stronger as her heart beat faster. My free hand came up to her neck, and I let my fingertips follow the neckline of her blouse, feeling the swell of her breast and the heat in her cleavage. Again, her heartbeat sped up, her blood getting hotter.

I was gentle with my bite, and I heard her gasp weakly as her hands grabbed my hips. Her grip quickly loosened, though, as I drank from her. Her blood was warm and sweet as it ran over my tongue, and I understood why seduction was so commonly used when hunting. Not only was it an easy way to draw one's prey, but it also made the blood _better_. Letting the girl go, I eased her to the floor as her legs seemed unable to support her anymore. With a smile, I brushed her hair out of her face and blew her a kiss. How convenient that she'd chosen the darkest corner of the club's first floor... Feeling better than I had in a couple days, I left The Asylum. I decided that LaCroix's bottled blood was of excellent quality, but it was hard to beat fresh.

* * *

My trip to Santa Monica hadn't taken very long. I returned to my suite with plenty of time to spare. It was nice to be able to read my own books after weeks of studying. I was curled up on my couch, listening to my iPod as I read when there was a knock. Taking out my headphones, I went to answer it. Smiling at LaCroix, I stepped aside to let him in. "You've fed as I told you?" he asked as he came in.

"I did." As I closed the door behind him, I thought about the Malkavian woman's words again. _Ask **him** about his bride._ With a shake of my head, I decided it wasn't the time. We had a trip to plan. Perhaps before he went back to his office.

"And you made it back in time," LaCroix mused, a small smirk on his face. "I'm impressed."

I shrugged. "Wasn't that hard," I said, walking past him and settling back into my spot on the couch.

"No, but you seemed a little...out of sorts when you left." He sat in a chair across from me, crossing his legs. "I'd begun to think you'd forgotten how to hunt."

Chuckling, I shook my head. "Ye of little faith, my Prince," I said with a smile. "So. When are we to head to Florida?" I asked. I wanted to get business out of the way so I could ask him about his "other bride."

LaCroix sighed, his elbows resting on the armrests of the chair, fingers steepled in front of his chin. "I'm _hoping _I'll be out from under the mess of paperwork within the week. Allowing time to meet with the primogen for a...'state of affairs' meeting, so to speak, we should plan on a week from now."

I nodded. "What would you have me do during that time?" I asked.

"For now, if I have need of someone to run an errand or deliver a message, you'll be filling that role," LaCroix said.

Again, I nodded, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. _Great. Back to ghoul work._ "And Blake will be going with us to Florida?" I asked. LaCroix nodded. "I would imagine he can't stay staked as he is now," I pointed out.

"Of course not. He'll be under control, I assure you."

"Oh? How so?"

LaCroix smirked. "He's drunk of my blood nearly every night since your Embrace," he said. "He won't be of any mind to resist my whims."

"You bound him to you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He laughed low, a sinister sound in my ears. "He bound _himself _to me when he drank _your _blood, Miss Lucas," he said.

My eyes narrowed as I frowned with confusion. "I had no idea a bond was transferable like that."

"Oh, indeed it is," LaCroix said, his expression amused. "In fact, I've little doubt he was mostly bound, if not fully, when he drank some of Mercurio's blood. Drinking yours merely reinforced the bond and left me no reason to believe he'd not obey my commands."

I chuckled. "And Regent Strauss must have been overjoyed to discover this, I'd imagine."

LaCroix grinned. "You have no idea." I laughed. Their polite rivalry had been obvious to me ever since this business with Blake had started, but the glee evident in LaCroix when mentioning anything that would cause Strauss some annoyance was amusing.

With LaCroix in a good mood and our trip apparently planned, I decided to edge into the other thought on my mind. I took a deep breath before speaking. "Prince LaCroix, may I ask something that may be...a little odd? And probably a little personal?"

The mirth faded from his face, and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "If you must..."

I noted he made no promises to answer any question I might have. I wet my lips nervously. "Considering my...experience with Calvin, I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised to hear that I can't help but put some stock in Malkavian insight when it's offered." LaCroix brought his chin up, looking down his nose at me a bit. I identified that body language as a bit of a defensive stance. "I don't know who she was, but I encountered a Malkavian outside Mercurio's tonight after I dropped in for a short visit." Glancing at LaCroix, it seemed my stopping by Mercurio's wasn't going to be questioned. Phew. "She was calling me 'Princess,' referring to your bond over me as my being 'married' to you." LaCroix rolled his eyes at this and looked at me with his lips pressed tightly together. He was getting impatient. "She said that you've 'given' yourself to someone, another 'bride,' as she put it. Specifically, she said, 'If he gave himself to one, perhaps he'd give himself to you as well.'" I shrugged, made uncomfortable by the look he was giving me. "I...just...wanted to know what she meant, because she wouldn't tell me any more than that."

Shaking his head, LaCroix sighed. "Malkavian ramblings. Sometimes, they can provide some insight into things. Others, they're merely the ramblings of the insane." He laced his fingers over his stomach and turned his head, glaring towards the corner of the room.

"So you're telling me there _is _no other 'bride,' then, Prince?" I asked, desperately needing clarification of _something_.

"Are you accusing me of being unfaithful to you?" His eyes were back on me and definitely not happy.

His wording, though, had made me chuckle. "Unfaithful? Your own phrasing makes it sound as if we _are _lovers." His frown growing deeper made me clear my throat and wipe the smile off my face. "No, of course not. Her words merely made it sound as if you...well... She said that_ I_ was married to you but not the other way around, denoting the fact that I have no bond or hold over you. That's how it sounded in my mind, anyway. But this talk of your 'giving' yourself to someone...sounds like the other way around."

LaCroix sighed and got to his feet with a shake of his head. "Nonsense," he said in a low voice. "Do you realize how idiotic it would be for a Prince to allow himself to be bound to someone? By that method, the master of the bond would be able to rule the city himself _through _the Prince! I would hope you do not think me _that _foolish."

I shook my head, getting to my feet as well. "Of course not. But...I was just thinking...like, maybe _before _you became Prince..."

"Miss Lucas, they are Malkavian ramblings and nothing more. I'm surprised you gave enough thought to this to consider my being under the hold of a blood bond." LaCroix frowned at me, jaw tight. He was pretty pissed.

"I'm sorry to upset you, my Prince," I said, bowing my head. "I suppose I was just still trying to think of a reason for why you were so shaken by Layla when you didn't even exchange a word with her. It seemed like a possibility." Silence. I glanced up at LaCroix and saw a muscle twitching in his jaw, his eyes burning with rage. I'd just upset him even more somehow. In an attempt to apologize, I stammered, "I—I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to figure out for myself what you told me was not my concern. My deepest apologies, my Prince. Forgive me. It wasn't my place."

"Stop your babbling," he said in a strained voice. He took a deep, slow breath before speaking again, his voice a little clearer. "What do _you _want to believe? Me or the ramblings from the twisted mind of some Malkavian you randomly encountered?"

I knew I shouldn't hesitate to answer that question, but I couldn't help it. Calvin had been right about Blake and about LaCroix "giving me his teeth." So far, that was two for two from the Malkavian clan in my experience. However, LaCroix _was _my sire and the Prince. Openly doubting _his _word was dangerous. However, so was lying to him. "As I said, I was trying to justify the Malkavian's words as a possible reason for your distress last night," I said weakly, trying to sidestep his question. "I thought perhaps since you were apparently devoted to Layla to some degree, having spent several years with her, you may have..." I let my voice trail off, feeling it was a little too dangerous and too much like an accusation to say aloud that I suspected him of being bonded to her.

He was silent for a long while, just looking at me. He didn't look so angry anymore, but I couldn't tell what was going on in his head either. Finally, he turned away and walked to the door. He spoke as he left, very quietly; but my Kindred ears were able to pick up his words. "Your powers of deduction are quite impressive, Miss Lucas."

I stood in shock, staring at the door after it had closed gently behind him. I was right? He was bound to Layla? I shook my head hard. _Couldn't be. He wouldn't admit something like that so easily... _Still looking at the door he'd left through, I sat down on the couch. He'd acted like I was wrong at first. Had he been trying to lie to me to get me off track? Why, then, did he just all but admit that I was _right_? I was beyond confused. Another question on my mind was why I didn't go after him. Much easier to answer: he definitely didn't need me hounding him on this if I was right. That wound that I knew Layla's mere presence opened in him was probably ripped right open by my prodding and his admission. Finally looking down at the floor with unseeing eyes, I sat back against the couch and wondered when I'd have the chance to talk to LaCroix again. I knew he wouldn't want to be disturbed while working, considering how much he had to get caught up on and _especially _not with this subject. I'd have to wait until he called for me.

I leaned forward, my elbows on my knees and my fingers laced in front of my mouth, resting my lips on my hands. It explained so much, even in my own thoughts. I wondered if one bound through blood could subconsciously detect another bond. If so, maybe that was the reason I was so sensitive to Layla as well. Not only did I have LaCroix's blood in me, probably tainted with hers; but if she was bound to LaCroix, that would explain my possessiveness. Well, that combined with my already strong feelings for him... But...did that mean that, through my drinking LaCroix's blood, _I _was bound to Layla as well? How many bonds could be passed down in such a way like a disease, I wondered? I felt no fealty to Layla, though. No loyalty. Whenever I saw her, I wanted to get away. Definitely the opposite of the feelings I'd had for LaCroix since my first taste of his blood. There was no bond between me and her. But then, didn't that mean there couldn't be a bond between her and LaCroix?

With a groan, I flopped back into the couch again. Too confusing. Too distressing. Too much of the night was ahead of me without anything to do that would consume me enough to forget my current concerns. I glanced at my laptop on the table and jumped up from my place on the couch. Making up my mind, I tapped out a quick email to LaCroix:

_Subject: Out_

_From: Lucas, N_

_I plan on being out for the rest of the evening. If you need me, I have my cell phone and will check my email regularly. Or call. Either one._

_~Nat_

I bit my lip in thought for a moment, then added to my email.

_PS: Please forgive me if my questions tonight disturbed you. I meant no harm or disrespect. I merely want to help you._

I groaned as I hit "send." It sounded so cold and impersonal in type, but the words themselves were true, at least. I closed the laptop and went into the bedroom to grab a light jacket. I didn't need the protection from the cool night air, really; but it helped me to blend in with the few kine on the street. I hadn't decided where to go yet, but I needed to leave the suite to clear my head. As I closed the door behind me and headed for the elevator, my cell phone alerted me to a new email.

_Subject: Re:Out_

_From: LaCroix_

_I don't foresee needing you for the rest of the evening._

_No offense was taken, I assure you. We'll speak more about it after we return from Florida. - SL_

Upon reading LaCroix's email, I felt a wave of relief go over me. I knew that I may have reopened wounds, and he wouldn't admit to that in an email, but he also wasn't holding it against me if I did. As I stepped into the elevator, I fought the urge to press the button that would take me up to the penthouse to talk to LaCroix. More to the point, I had to resist going up there to throw my arms around him and beg his forgiveness for hurting him if I did. Instead, I went to the ground floor as I'd originally planned.

I floated around downtown LA for the rest of the night, stopping in at Confession for a while before just wandering the streets for a few hours. I made a game out of spotting suitable prey, rating the kine from one to five, one for absolutely detestable, five for the best blood I could hope to find. There weren't many fives for a Ventrue like myself. Shame. When sunrise was near, I drank a small bit from the last of the fives I'd found and chosen to see how long I could stalk before he noticed me. He never heard or felt me behind him, nor would he have any idea why he would awake in an alley later after the sun had risen. After returning to the tower, I ignored my own thoughts as I got ready for bed and fell asleep.


	28. Chapter 28

When I awoke the next night, I stayed in bed for a long while. My mind felt too full. For some reason, the revelation that LaCroix was bound to Layla had really rocked my world. I'd never thought of him as one who _could _be bound to another. He'd seemed too powerful for that, maybe. Or perhaps it was because of the position he held. After all, he'd said himself that it would be foolish for a Prince to allow himself to be bound to another. Which led me to another question: why didn't Layla ever try to take advantage of her hold over him? Perhaps the bond wasn't strong enough? Maybe he wasn't fully bonded to her...

I shook my head and made myself get up. There was too much to think about and no way to get answers right now. After we return from Florida, he'd said. That was still over a week away. _Samantha and Blake first, then Layla,_ I told myself as I brushed my hair. I chuckled humorlessly at my reflection in the mirror. Sebastian LaCroix should never have girlfriends, I decided. They wound up causing him too much trouble. _But where does that leave me?_ I thought with a sigh.

_Simple. This won't last forever. He'll always be my sire, I'll always be bound to him, but our relationship won't always be like this. Eventually, we'll hardly be more than business associates. _What a sobering thought. It was inevitable, though. Questions about his little hints at affection and actually caring for me came to mind, but I squashed those quickly. It was easier to just pretend those didn't exist than set myself up for a fantasy that would never come to be.

After dressing, I went up to the penthouse, taking a deep breath before opening the door to the office. As expected, LaCroix was hunched over at his desk, a deep frown knitting his eyebrows together as he quickly flipped pages of paper, quickly signing or initialing some. He glanced up and saw me as I entered, and his head came up as he put the pen down. I smiled a little. "You don't have to stop because of me," I said. "Just wanted to see if there was anything you needed me for or anything I could help with."

He looked at me for a few moments, and I instinctively stood a little straighter under his scrutiny. My hands clasped behind my back, and I consciously reminded myself to not bite my bottom lip out of nervousness. His right eyebrow twitched just barely before he lowered his head again and gestured to a stack of papers at the side of his desk. "Take these down to Mr. Sheldon on the 38th floor," he said. "They shouldn't have come up here in the first place." I nodded though he wasn't looking at me. I approached the desk, then stepped around it to where LaCroix was sitting. He looked up at me with a confused and annoyed look, just the opportunity I'd hoped for. Bending down a little, I kissed his forehead and smiled. He frowned, eyes narrowing. "What was that?" he asked.

I stepped back, frowning. "I just...know you're under a lot of stress right now," I said, unsure of what else I could say to explain myself. I'd felt I had humiliated myself at my presentation by blurting that I loved him, even though he hadn't reacted negatively to it at all. Still, I wasn't about to repeat the performance.

He rolled his eyes and gave me a cold glare before turning back to his paperwork. "Don't patronize me," he muttered.

"I'm not trying to!" I argued. "I know I made you feel like shit last night, and I'm trying to fix that as best I can for now!" LaCroix put down his pen roughly, but I spoke again before he could say something. "And I'm _not _going to apologize for using language that absolutely fits the situation."

He sat back in his chair and stared at his desk. "This is the _last _thing I need to deal with right now," he said, his voice tired. "I _told _you, we'll discuss it after next week's errand."

"I don't _care _about discussing it," I said, leaning down with one hand on his desk. "I want to make sure that you're okay. That's all."

That made LaCroix finally look at me again. After a few silent moments, he got up and slowly walked to the fireplace, hands clasped behind his back. I stayed beside the desk, somehow sensing trying to be close to him would be a mistake at the moment. "Has this turn of events made me weak in your eyes, Miss Lucas?" he asked, still turned away from me.

"No, of course not," I answered, frowning.

"Then why are you acting any different towards me than normal?"

I opened my mouth to answer but found that I couldn't argue against it. I _was _treating him differently. At least, I had the urge to; and giving him that kiss had only proven it to him. "I...I'm...I feel guilty for even bringing it up," I said finally, being as honest as I could.

LaCroix snorted, a short chuckle without amusement. "And you try to apologize or atone by bringing it up yet _again _in some way when I specifically told you that we will be discussing it _after_ dealing with more important and immediate matters." I leaned my hip against the desk, deflating a little. He turned to me angrily and walked back to the desk, his strides long and fast. "If bringing this to the forefront of my mind while I'm positively _overwhelmed _with work and other grievances is your version of 'helping,' Miss Lucas, I'd very much prefer that you do not bother coming up here until next week when we are leaving for Florida." His jaw was clenched tightly when he paused to sit at the desk. "I've too much to do in a _very _short period of time to be able to afford being distracted like this."

He sat down and went back to his paperwork, and I knew I'd been given my instructions and dismissed. My hands trembling with anger, I slowly picked up the pile of paper he'd told me to take downstairs. I wanted to scream at him, get into an argument, _make _him see that I was at least _trying _to show him I cared; but I really didn't know why it mattered to me that he knew. However, I also knew that it would just get me into deeper trouble with my sire. What he'd do in retaliation, I couldn't be sure; but hints of how violent he could be had come out during my _Agoge_. I didn't want to invite more of that. So, when I picked up the papers, I stood straight, my chin held high. I wanted the last word, though. "Forgive me, then, my Prince, for being such a distraction. I can see you have things under control here, so I'll find _other _ways of busying myself."

I heard him growl deep in his throat, making me pause instead of turning away to leave as I should have. He slammed his pen against his desk and stood suddenly, his face inches from mine with his fangs bared. "Let me speak in terms you're apparently more familiar with since you seem so insistent on delaying your departure in spite of my clear instructions to leave," he said in a low voice. Moving even closer until our noses were nearly touching, he growled, "Get...the _fuck_...out."

As startled as I was by his use of language I knew he hated to hear coming from a Ventrue mouth, I instantly turned and left as fast as I could without running. His voice echoed in my head, and I wondered if he'd dominated me to make me leave. _No, he stressed the wrong word, _I rationalized. No, my action of immediately leaving was my own, motivated by pure fear. _Presence, maybe? No, unnecessary. He's just **really** fucking pissed._

I dropped off the paperwork in my arms to Mr. Sheldon as LaCroix had ordered, then hesitated around the elevator while I wondered what to do next. I obviously wouldn't be hearing from LaCroix for the next week or so; I was pretty much on my own. Deciding to go back to my own suite, I sighed. I didn't even _clearly _know what the next part of my _Agoge _was, so I didn't know if I should get back to studying or if there was something else I needed to do. I hated being restless. Even more, I hated being _useless_. I needed to do something to keep myself busy. When I entered my suite, I stood in the entry and looked around. _I could redecorate a little, maybe... Rearrange some furniture or something... _Deciding it was better than nothing, I walked around my living area and looked for new possibilities for my furniture and the paintings on the walls.

* * *

The week moved by slowly. I spent a lot of time away from Venture Tower. The time was helpful, really, as I became more confident in my hunting abilities and began to feel more comfortable in my Kindred skin. By chance, I happened to meet one of the Ventrue who had attended my presentation. Andreas Chambers looked my age but was over a century old. He was the proprietor of an antique book store near the edge of town, but most of his time was spent in the private office on the upper floor of the shop. He never spoke to customers directly, instead having his ghoul employees bring books up to him for appraisal. Mr. Chambers bragged about how he was never wrong about a book's worth, how he was regarded as the best book seller on the west coast in his line of business. More important to me, however, were the little bits of lessons he sneaked into our conversations in his office.

Mr. Chambers was my first teacher aside from LaCroix, but he directed his teachings in such a way that I _had _to be paying attention in our conversations. He encouraged my questions; but if I ever made him repeat himself, the glare he gave me was positively withering. Inattentiveness was an insult to Ventrue. Of course, through my time with LaCroix, I had known this; but I had previously thought it was more of a personal insult to _him_. On the contrary, _all _Ventrue seemed to expect to have the undivided attention of their guests. Rightfully so, I supposed. After all, it _was _rather rude to ignore one's host.

After a week had passed, I made a short visit to Mr. Chambers to let him know I'd be indisposed for a few days. He frowned, dark brown eyes narrowing. "Won't be able to come by?" he asked. "Why not? Your sire doesn't approve, perhaps?"

I shook my head, wondering why he'd bring that up. "No, not at all. Prince LaCroix will probably be thrilled to learn I've been spending time learning from other esteemed members of our clan," I responded.

To that, he raised his chin a little. "He doesn't yet know you've been here?"

"No, he's been rather busy this past week," I replied. "I've found it wiser to leave him to his work than spend time trying to engage him in idle conversation about my day." Mr. Chambers nodded slowly, turning away from me and giving me the opportunity to let out a silent breath of relief. "Actually, I won't be coming by for a few days due to a business matter that Prince LaCroix and I must attend to out of state. I should be seeing you again next week, though."

"A business matter?" Mr. Chambers repeated. He had a habit of doing that: repeating my words back to me and, at times, letting me know just how naïve or unrefined I could sound. This time, though, I sensed it was more of a matter of curiosity. "Everything is all right with the Prince's foundation, I hope?"

I smiled. "Of course." I fought the urge to explain myself. Mr. Chambers had said often that saying less was the best defense against those intelligent enough to pick your words apart. In this case especially, I found it wise to follow his advice, though it was using it against him at the same time.

He gave me a polite smile back. "Well, I suppose it can't be helped, then. I'll be looking forward to your next visit, Miss Lucas."

"As will I. Good evening, Mr. Chambers." I gave him a slight bow of my head before leaving.

"Give the Prince my regards," he said as I left, making me chuckle. I wondered if the two Ventrue even knew each other or if Mr. Chambers was using me as a way to gain a connection to the most powerful Ventrue in the city.

* * *

I walked into LaCroix's office with my head held high, determined to not let him even _try _to intimidate me. "Good evening, Prince," I greeted him. "If I've read my calendar correctly, we should be leaving soon. This is correct, yes?"

He looked up from his work with a raised eyebrow for a few moments, then looked back to his desk. He stayed silent long enough that I wondered if he was still upset with me and giving me a silent treatment, but he finally laid his pen down and looked up again. "We'll be leaving for the airport in an hour," he said, lacing his fingers together on the desk top. "We'll be arriving at our destination with an hour or so before sunrise."

I raised an eyebrow. "It takes so long to get there?" I asked.

"Time zones," LaCroix sighed, getting up from his seat. "And it's a five hour flight."

I frowned and followed LaCroix across the room to where Blake was staked in the corner. "Which makes it dangerous for us if there's any sort of delay," I pointed out.

"Slightly," LaCroix agreed, turning to me. "But with a private jet like the one available to us, we have the ability to wait until the next sunset to leave, if need be." I nodded, assuming LaCroix had the situation well in hand. This wasn't the first time he'd traveled, after all. Of course he'd have a plane equipped to deal with our "condition." "As for now," he said, kneeling next to Blake, "we should allow Mr. Xavier a drink before we leave." He gripped the stake and pulled it out slowly, making me wince at the sickening squelching sound it made exiting Blake's chest. Blake coughed and groaned, fighting to sit up. As he recovered, LaCroix turned and looked up at me. "Have you fed tonight?" he asked.

"I've had a little," I answered. Mr. Chambers always offered me a glass of blood when I visited, and that night had been no different. Out of politeness, I'd accepted.

Nodding, LaCroix reached into his coat and pulled out his key card to hand it to me. "Fetch us a bottle; you know where it's kept."

I took the card and inclined my head. His demeanor this night was rather formal and businesslike, even towards me. I felt obligated to answer in kind. "Of course, my Prince," I replied. "Glasses as well?"

"Please."

Nodding again, I turned and left to retrieve the blood from LaCroix's suite. During the elevator ride, I decided cool and polite was a better reception than I'd expected to receive. Things seemed back to normal, somewhat. He'd calmed down from our last encounter and was willing to let it lie instead of punishing me for it, it seemed. Just as well. Perhaps this was a lesson in itself: let things lie when there are more important things at hand. He was showing me through example what I'd failed to do when I'd tried to "make things up" to him a week ago. I smiled a little as I entered his suite, experiencing a small feeling of gratitude that I had him for my sire. As moody as he could be, he was still deserving of every bit of respect he demanded.

I quickly retrieved a bottle of blood from his cupboard and three glasses before going back up to the penthouse office. Blake had moved from the floor to one of LaCroix's couches, elbows resting on his knees. He wearily looked up at me when I entered, his expression mostly blank. I handed the bottle to LaCroix and set the glasses on his desk, my eyes still on Blake. I didn't feel sorry for him; he'd made the choices that led him here on his own. "Give this to him," LaCroix said, bringing me out of my thoughts as he handed me one of the glasses, nearly filled to the brim.

When handed the glass, Blake looked up at me again. "Thanks," he said, his voice slightly hoarse. His eyes closed as he drank the blood down quickly. "You Ventrue get the good stuff," he said with a chuckle.

"As it should be," I said quietly, taking the empty glass from him.

"You're no better than us," he grumbled, narrowing his eyes at me angrily.

"Than Tremere?" I said, raising my chin. "Perhaps. Better than _you_, however?"

Before I could continue, LaCroix interrupted. "Natalie. Enough." I pressed my lips together tightly, knowing better than to argue. He'd heard Blake's statement. If he saw no reason to put the Tremere in his place, I had no right to do so against his wishes. Instead, I turned and walked back to LaCroix's desk, letting my expression show that I wasn't pleased with having to leave the argument alone. He took the glass from my hand and refilled it. "It's not worth it," he said softly. "His position won't change. There's no reason to waste words in argument, especially if it only leads to blatant personal attack."

"Yes, sir," I relented.

"Good." He handed the refilled glass back to me. "This should help with his healing."

I nodded and went back to Blake, giving him the second glass of blood. He took it but gave me a suspicious look that he turned towards LaCroix a moment later. "I thought you'd keep me as weak as you could," he mused before taking a sip from the glass.

"No, on the contrary," LaCroix said, approaching us with the other two glasses in his hands. He handed one to me and took a drink from the other. "I want you at full strength for visiting your sister tomorrow evening."

"My sister?" Blake repeated, surprise washing over his features.

LaCroix nodded. "As I'm sure you can imagine, I have some matters to discuss with her." To my surprise, he put his arm around me waist, pulling me close. Then I remembered that Blake and Samantha thought we were lovers; around them, the game was in full effect.

Blake's eyes narrowed, but he quickly looked away from LaCroix. "You beat the shit out of me, and you expect me to believe that you just want to _talk _to my sister?" he asked.

LaCroix chuckled low. "Trust me, boy, I won't be laying a finger on her," he said. His words made me look up at him questioningly. He still hadn't told me what his plan was.

"She's out of your jurisdiction, you know," Blake said, standing and meeting LaCroix's gaze eye to eye.

"I'm fully aware, Mr. Xavier."

Blake stayed silent, but I could tell he was trying to figure out what was going to happen. I was, too. He was right, after all. LaCroix didn't hold any sway outside of the Los Angeles area. The most he could do would be to talk to whoever was the Prince of Pensacola and tell him the story, then hope he'd be believed. That fact alone made me wonder why we'd be going straight to Samantha instead of the Prince. I thought briefly that perhaps Samantha herself was Prince; but no, she was hardly older than I was, as far as being Kindred was concerned. She'd never be entrusted with such an office so early. The Camarilla would never allow it, let alone the clan. "She'll deny everything," Blake finally said. He was trying to cast doubt in LaCroix's mind.

"I'm sure she will," LaCroix said, a smirk on his lips. "But we _do _know the truth, thanks to you." Blake swallowed hard, and he seemed to shrink a little. He was losing courage, seeing he was trapped in this situation. LaCroix finished the blood in his glass, and I followed suit as he said, "Come. We'll miss our flight."

* * *

On the flight to Pensacola, LaCroix and I sat next to each other, Blake across the plane from us. My curiosity finally getting the better of me, I leaned over to LaCroix, kissing his neck lightly for appearances before whispering, "You still haven't let me in on your plan."

He chuckled, placing a hand on my knee and squeezing lightly. "You're merely here for effect," he said softly. "All you have to do is enjoy the show." I pulled back and frowned at him. My frown was met with a smirk, as usual. He brought his hand up to my cheek, brushing his thumb over my cheekbone lightly. "Trust me."

"I do, but-"

His finger touched my lips, stopping me. "I've said all I need to," he said. I sighed but nodded. Trying to force an explanation would only make him lock up his thoughts more tightly from me. When he saw that I wasn't going to argue, he went back to the book in his lap. I peeked over at what he was reading, but it was in French. Not understanding a word, I settled for leaning against his shoulder and closing my eyes. I felt him shift, then sigh, shifting again to put his arm around me and letting my head rest on his chest instead.

"Do you know someone named Andreas Chambers?" I asked.

"Should I?" LaCroix asked.

"He owns an antique books boutique in Los Angeles," I said, sitting up a little to look at my sire. "He's Ventrue."

Raising an eyebrow, LaCroix glanced at me then frowned into his book. "Chambers..." A flash of recognition finally flickered over his features as he closed his eyes and nodded. "Ah, yes. Introverted type, keeps to his shop. Rather successful in his line of business, as I understand."

I smiled and nodded. "He is. I've been spending time at his shop lately."

LaCroix looked at me again, seeming surprised. "He's taken you on, has he?"

"Seems that way. He's very conversational in his lessons, though," I said, settling against my sire's shoulder again. "It's as if every word is a lesson in how to pick out an underlying meaning."

He chuckled. "More than likely, that's _exactly _what it is. And you've been under his tutelage for how long?"

"The past week."

"Then you're already doing well, it seems, if you can pick out his intentions so quickly."

I shrugged. "It was no great feat. After all, he's not good at disguising his disappointment in me if I don't answer something the way he wants me to." LaCroix chuckled again. "I'm serious!" I insisted, laughing a bit myself. "He gives me a dirty look, then pouts! I think he feels like I've ignored him if I so much as forget something he said towards the beginning of a four-hour conversation!"

"Ah, he's young," LaCroix said, going back to his book. "Young, but not stupid. You've chosen a good mentor for your second."

I smiled at that. "To be honest, he chose me, I think. Our meeting after my presentation was purely coincidental."

LaCroix glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "Was it?"

I began to nod, then thought deeper into his question. He wasn't asking for sake of conversation. He wanted me to think back and consider if my meeting Mr. Chambers was as much a coincidence as it seemed. "You think he planned it?" I asked, sitting up.

"I wouldn't doubt it," he said with a slight shrug. "I'm sure everyone who plans on taking you as a student made their decision to do so at your presentation."

Sitting back in my seat, I frowned thoughtfully. "He made our meeting seem so...random, though," I mused. "As if he was surprised to be running into me on the street."

"If he had approached you, introduced himself, and made clear his intentions to become your mentor right there 'on the street,' as you put it, how would you have taken that?" LaCroix asked, closing his book and looking at me.

I paused to think about that for a moment. "Nervous, probably," I admitted. "Apprehensive. Suspicious."

"Why suspicious?" he asked.

"Well, I've already had the feeling that he's planning on using his interaction with me to gain some connection with _you_," I answered. "It seems that any Ventrue who talks to me of their own volition _really _wants to have some inside connection for getting your attention."

LaCroix chuckled. "And so you have an obstacle that other Ventrue childer in Los Angeles don't have: gaining attention for _yourself _and not allowing yourself to be overshadowed by the mere fact that you are a Prince's childe."

I groaned. "I never thought of that."

"It's all a part of your gaining your own _dignitas_, Natalie," he said, laying a hand on my arm. "Your _Agoge _won't officially be over for several years, if you follow the course of the average Ventrue. During that time, you'll gain your own notoriety through your being mentored by the other Ventrue in the city. Talk of your performance will get around; and soon it will be your own merits that draw them to you, not those of your sire." He raised an eyebrow at me again. "That is, should you continue to show that you _have _such talents to offer. If you merely float along and just answer their questions correctly, you'll have a much greater struggle to gain a place in their memory."

"In other words, I need to strive to stand out from any other Ventrue that they may have had the chance to mentor," I said, clarifying for myself.

"You are a Prince's childe, Natalie," LaCroix stressed, squeezing my arm lightly. "You _must _show yourself to be extraordinary. It's expected by everyone."

"No pressure," I joked weakly.

"Nonetheless, I wouldn't have Embraced you if I thought you wouldn't be able to stand up to such a challenge. You know this."

I sighed. "I trust your assessment of me, but I _really _don't think there's anything so special about me that will stand out," I confessed. "I'd practically need to be _you _to keep from being overshadowed by your position."

LaCroix smirked. "How have you managed thus far around other Ventrue?" he asked. "Before your Embrace, as well."

I chuckled, already knowing the answer to that question. Of course, I'd managed to fit in my emulating him. His speech, his mannerisms, his discretion... The only thing I'd had to do was fit it all for a female. A curtsy instead of a bow, a demure smile instead of a chuckle... "Surely you don't mean making _your _merits my own," I said.

"Consider this: how does a human child learn to speak? By listening to and mimicking those around it. This method of learning can be put towards nearly everything in life. Everything is a copy of _something _influencing it. Now, you've spent enough time around me to obviously adopt my own mannerisms into your ways—don't seem surprised that I've noticed, Natalie. As your sire, if I wasn't keeping a close eye on the finer points of your personality, I wouldn't be doing my duty."

I smiled but glanced at my hands in my lap nervously. "There's a problem with my doing that, though. The last thing I'd want is for people to know me as 'another LaCroix.' Not that it wouldn't be an honor to be thought of as such, of course! But...how do I separate my _own _personality from the parts of you that I've taken through your example?"

LaCroix sighed, but seemed to be hiding a bit of a smile. He glanced across the plane to where Blake was sitting. The Tremere was making no secret of the fact that he had been listening to our entire conversation. Turning back to me, LaCroix said, "The best advice I can give is to keep your own mind."

"My own mind?"

The small smile became a hint of his signature smirk as he touched two fingers to my temple. "I can tell when you don't like something I've said," he told me. "Even when you choose to stay silent on the matter, I can always tell when you disagree with me. _That _is your being of your own mind and opinion. As long as it doesn't lead to your arguing about instructions you're given, I don't discourage that at all, though you may want to work on not letting _others_ know your thoughts. Your transparency can lead to an awkward situation if you offend someone."

I laughed. "So, I can disagree as much as I want, but I can't _verbally _disagree or show it outwardly."

"I know that's how it seems, and that may be fact for now. But eventually, childe, you'll have gained enough experience and wisdom that you'll be able to offer an intelligent counter-argument in some cases. Also, you've yet to learn a sense of tact that will present your counter-argument in those appropriate times as merely your thoughts on the matter instead of an attack on the other person's view of things."

"I'm too aggressive with my ideas, then," I said.

LaCroix smiled. "At times. Now, you must see why the _Agoge _takes such a long time to be considered complete."

"It's a total change in personality."

"No. No, not a total change. Merely adding to it. Refining it, becoming a greater version of yourself than you would have had time to become as a mortal. You'll retain your personality and use it to your advantage, but those additions you've made over time will make your personality that much stronger and more influential. You'll see and feel the change in yourself, making you confident. Others who've known you from the start will note the change as well and respect you for how you've grown Those who respect _them_ will see that and know that you've apparently done something to earn the respect of the others, and the cycle continues. _That _is where your _dignitas _comes from. _That _is what you're working towards."

I sat silent for a few moments before speaking again. "And that's where one's creativity and ambition comes into play," I said slowly, voicing my thoughts as they came to mind. "One's outward appearance and demeanor gets one implanted into the memories of those who may prove useful in the future. The _true _personality, though, defines how far one can go and what one can achieve."

"See there?" LaCroix said with a smile. "You've got the intelligence and reasoning facilities to go far. Listen to what others are teaching you, but don't take it for face value. You've already shown that you take people's words and analyze them for their true meaning. As long as you ensure you understand those implications, you'll have no problem staying a step ahead of anyone you encounter and rising above them."

I returned the smile and leaned my head against his shoulder again. I much preferred his way of teaching. Straight-forward. Granted, Mr. Chambers gave me a chance to practice my ability to figure out what people were _really _saying; but I rather liked not having a need to do that. Made things less complicated.

The plane landed a while later; but we chose to stay on board to wait out the daylight hours, just to be safe. Even with the shades pulled down, blocking out all sunlight, I felt the sunrise drag me into sleep, still using LaCroix's shoulder as my pillow.

* * *

**A/N: More blah, blah, blah, I'm afraid... D: Next chapter's gonna have more actual interesting stuff in it, I promise. -_-; Just a matter of finding the time and will to write.**

**A/N #2: As of 7-10-10, I have no computer to write on. D: My power supply went kablooey, and bills still need to be paid, so I probably won't be able to post a new chapter for at least a week or two. So don't think I've abandoned you! I've just run into technical difficulties that will hopefully be fixed soon. Next chapter's in my head and will probably be substantial in length. XD Stay tuned! I'll post when I can!  
**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I'm back! Computer's all fixed up, so we can FINALLY get on with this! :D

* * *

**

I awoke the next evening but didn't open my eyes immediately. Sometime after I'd fallen asleep, LaCroix had put his arm around me, presumably to get more comfortable. I nuzzled into his shoulder a little more with a smile on my face. The weight of his arm was comforting. "We should go soon," I heard him say softly. Of course, he and Blake both would have awakened roughly around the same time I had.

"Are we in a hurry?" I asked without opening my eyes.

"The sooner we get this handled, the sooner we can get back to California," he replied. He shifted, forcing me to sit up in my own seat. When he rose and walked to the back of the plane, I followed. His frown and disgruntled "Hmph" worried me a little as he looked through compartment after compartment, cupboard after cupboard. "It seems we'll be taking our meal _out_ tonight," LaCroix said, standing. "And the person who was supposed to restock the plane will find himself without a job when we return to Los Angeles..."

From behind me, Blake muttered, "I'd hate to be _that _guy..."

I only nodded as LaCroix pushed past us and led us off the plane. There was only a slight gleam of light left on the horizon as we collected our luggage and made our way across the tarmac to the airport. "Natalie, find yourself something to drink," LaCroix said. He only turned when he spoke to Blake. "Mr. Xavier, you do the same, but I want you both to meet me near the rental car booths in no more than a half hour."

"What about you?" I asked him, hurrying a couple steps to fall in next to Blake.

"I'll manage," LaCroix said, waving me off with a hand.

I didn't like his answer but pushed aside my worrying for him as I touched Blake's shoulder. "Come on," I told him. "We'll head to the bar."

Blake nodded and gave LaCroix a last glance before following me. "I guess it's safe to assume that my sister won't be glad to see the two of you," he said in a low voice.

"To be honest, I don't know," I said. "I'm just as much in the dark as you are."

Blake sighed. "That doesn't make me feel any better."

"I wasn't trying to do so," I told him, giving him a sideways glance. "I wouldn't expect any _pleasantness _to come out of this for you." Blake's lips pressed together into a thin line, but he didn't say anything. "You and your sister must be pretty close, huh?" I asked.

Blake shrugged. "Not really. I was the 'bad apple' of the family. She was ashamed of me. I couldn't give a shit what she thought of me, though."

I raised an eyebrow. "If that's the case, why kill for her?"

He scoffed. "Like I told your golden boy back there, I didn't do it for _her_. I was gonna tell her to fuck off after that Gangrel in San Francisco nearly took my head off while I was on my way here, but-"

"What Gangrel?" I interrupted, stopping him with a hand on his arm.

"Some punk whose ashes are probably mixing in with the Golden Gate's wet paint about now," Blake said with a scowl. "Beat the shit outta me just for the hell of it. Last mistake he ever made."

Slowly, I nodded. "Is that why you were in such bad shape when Strauss found you?"

"Max didn't _find _me," Blake corrected. "_I _found _him_. I knew there was a chantry in the city; I just had to track it down. But yeah, that's why I was a bleeding pile of shit when I knocked on Max's door."

"Okay, so what changed your mind after getting to Los Angeles?" We were in the middle of the airport concourse, standing against the wall to stay out of the flow of foot traffic. I knew we had limited time, but I also knew I wouldn't have a chance to find out exactly what was going on after meeting up with LaCroix again.

Blake shrugged. "Sam told me that killing off LaCroix's guy in Santa Monica would scare you off and that I could have you if I wanted," he explained. "I wasn't totally sold until I saw you."

It was my turn to scoff. "Love at first sight?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

His eyes narrowed at me. "Don't flatter yourself. You're a pretty little thing, yeah; but I was more interested in how you'd managed to survive for so long. Being a prince's plaything..." He smirked. "Dangerous job."

"Indeed. I'm afraid I still don't entirely understand, though."

"I figured you got by just from doing whatever you were told. I knew you were his ghoul. If I could get you away from him to come with me, I'd have a pretty little girl for my arm to show off while making you _my _little plaything. An errand girl for myself. Besides, the fact that you didn't feel the need for bodyguards made me figure that you're a fighter too. I could have used someone like you watching my back."

I rolled my eyes. "I was _kine_. I didn't need bodyguards because no one wanted to mess with LaCroix's _lover _for fear of what _he'd_ do to them. I had no considerable strength."

Blake frowned. "Hm. So I made a mistake. Still, you intrigued me enough that I agreed to doing what my sister wanted so I'd have a chance of picking you up after you left the Prince if things went right. Obviously, they didn't."

"Obviously," I echoed, pushing my back off the wall and beginning to walk again. Blake followed close behind as we approached the airport bar. Cigarette smoke hung heavily in the air, making it hard to detect suitable prey. I saw Blake shake his head with a frown and cross the concourse to duck into the men's bathroom. My eyes were locked on that door until he came back out. His gaze met mine; and he gave me a lopsided smile, licking his lips. I rolled my eyes, but I was glad he'd found someone to feed on. A twinge of envy tickled my thoughts, envy at how he could feed on anyone he found. He didn't have to worry about a preference or high-grade blood. As quickly as I'd felt the envy, however, I squashed it. I knew I should be _grateful _to have such refined tastes. I was _Ventrue_. My "picky" tastes were just more evidence as to the nobility of my clan.

The airport bar wasn't offering anything for my tastes, and the thought of feeding in the restroom revolted me. I'd have to go without for the moment. With a shake of my head, I caught Blake's eye and led him away, back towards our meeting point with LaCroix. The Prince eyed us both when he saw us but didn't say anything in spite of our being a couple minutes late. Instead, he turned and led us to a car he'd rented. He programmed a location into the car's navigational system and followed its directions to the freeway. Once out of the city streets, I spoke up. "I'll have to wait until later to feed."

LaCroix glanced at me. "You didn't drink?"

"Couldn't find anyone suitable."

He sighed. "Can't be helped, I suppose. Perhaps our hostess will graciously offer refreshments." I saw the corners of his mouth twitching to hide a smile as he spoke. However, considering the fact that Samantha was Ventrue, I realized he may be right, as ironic as that may be.

"What about Samantha's sire?" I asked. "Is he going to be involved in this at all?"

LaCroix shook his head. "Joseph is out of the country. He won't know any more of this business than he has to." That made me feel a little better, at least. Joseph had seemed to be one of the _nicer _Ventrue I'd met. There was no reason to drag him into this situation.

It took a little less than an hour to reach Samantha's haven, a typical southern mansion, something that one may have seen in Civil War period films. Very typical for her, I thought. When LaCroix had parked the car and turned off the engine, he turned and looked at Blake. "Mr. Xavier, while you will be coming in with us, you are _not _going to speak unless I give you some sign that you may speak. Understood?"

Blake frowned but nodded. With that affirmation, LaCroix got out of the car; and Blake and I followed him up to the door. To my surprise, LaCroix's knock was answered by Samantha herself, not a ghoul butler as I'd expected. Her eyes grew wide and a hint of a smile began to form when she saw LaCroix. Then she saw me and Blake, and her lips pressed together tightly. "My goodness...isn't _this _a surprise..." she said, forcing herself to look up at LaCroix and smile.

"My apologies for dropping in unannounced," LaCroix said, a small smirk on his lips.

"No, no, it's...quite all right!" Samantha said, her eyes landing on me again. She stepped aside and gestured into the house with a hand. "Won't you come in?" LaCroix smiled at her and took my hand as we entered the mansion. The entry way was a grand hall, again mimicking the style made recognizable by movies. "I see you've met my brother," Samantha said, and I held back a chuckle. She was testing the waters, wondering why we were seeming friendly while her assassin tagged along at our heels.

"Indeed. He and Natalie met first." LaCroix chuckled. "I was beginning to grow a bit suspicious of their intentions until I...became acquainted with him myself."

Samantha laughed lightly as she closed the door behind us. "Oh? Did you think he was going to steal your girlfriend away, Sebastian?"

"Something like that." There was silence for a moment, and the tension in the air was palpable. I had a feeling she knew we'd unearthed Blake's true reason for going to Los Angeles.

Clearing her throat, Samantha broke the stare down that she and LaCroix had been locked into. "May I offer you a drink?" she asked.

"Please," LaCroix said, squeezing my hand. I smiled up at him, acknowledging that he was right in his earlier comment. "Thank you, dear," he added, drawing a strained smile from Samantha as she disappeared into a different room.

I chuckled. "She's truly thrown off," I muttered to LaCroix. "Didn't offer us a seat or anything."

"She knows why we're here," he said, eyes narrowed as he looked at the door through which she'd disappeared.

"Funny, since_ I'm_ still unclear on that," I remarked, squeezing his hand as a reminder.

"Patience, my love," he said, glancing at me quickly. I smirked at his addressing me so affectionately. Something in the back of my mind reminded me that my heart used to skip a beat if such a thing ever passed his lips while I was alive. It almost felt strange for that little jolt to be absent. I wondered briefly if I was getting over my infatuation with him.

Samantha's return brought me out of my thoughts. In her hands were some glasses, and she had a bottle tucked under one arm. "Follow me. We'll go into Joseph's sitting room." After we were settled and Samantha had poured a glass of blood for each of us, she asked, "So whom can I thank for sending you my way?"

I sipped at the glass of blood and watched LaCroix closely. His eyes met mine for a split second as well before he answered. "To be honest, I'm afraid this isn't the best of circumstances," he said.

"Oh? What's the matter?" Samantha said, shifting in her seat.

LaCroix leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees with fingers steepled in front of his lips. "It seems your brother has gotten himself into some trouble."

Samantha gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth as if surprised as she looked over at Blake. I took a large gulp of blood to keep myself from speaking up. Blake also had a look of disgust on his face as he glared in her direction. "Blake, what happened?"

LaCroix answered for him. "He seems to have been part of a plot to get to me through my two most trusted ghouls. Mercurio healed quickly from your brother's attack on him, but Natalie..." He looked over at me, his expression unfamiliar to me. Was that _sadness _in his eyes? More to the point, was he putting on an act for her? I couldn't tell. LaCroix shook his head. "I was forced to Embrace her under unpleasant conditions to save her after your brother had his way with her."

"Oh...oh my..." Samantha was keeping up the game of being shocked by this news, but I couldn't comprehend why. Maybe she was just _hoping _we hadn't found out what was really going on.

I heard LaCroix sigh, his irritation evident. "Miss Xavier, your brother told me that _you _sent him to get Natalie away from me in any way possible," he said finally, leaning back and watching her closely.

Samantha didn't seem to know how to respond. Her expression was angry, but she shook her head. "He's lying! Why would I ever-"

"Lying was outside of his abilities," LaCroix interrupted. "He'd drunk of _two _fully bound ghouls of mine. I don't even have to be in the same _room _for my Domination to work on him." His hands were gripping the armrests of his chair tightly, and I saw them trembling slightly. His anger was barely checked. No wonder, considering that Samantha thought him stupid enough to believe her when she tried to lie to his face.

Sitting back with a pout on her face, Samantha glared at Blake for a few moments. "So what are you here for?" she asked without looking at LaCroix. "And why did you bring _him_?"

"Samantha, this type of plot is _inexcusable_!" LaCroix was finally brought to his feet by his rage. "I would never put it past a female to let her jealousy guide her to unfathomable depths, but _this_? You are _Ventrue_, Miss Xavier. Your giving in to your emotions and letting them rule you shows how _weak _you are in spite of the blood in your veins."

She narrowed her eyes and slowly got to her feet as well. "Emotions? You think this is about _emotions_?" She laughed, a bitter sound ringing through the sitting room. "You flatter yourself too much, Sebastian. It just seems that Los Angeles would do better with a woman at your side." She shot me a cold glare as she added, "A _real _woman. A Ventrue who knows what she's doing."

I took a deep breath but stayed silent. This wasn't my fight, even if she was trying to bring me into it. LaCroix matched her bitter laughter. "You think I'd rather have a clingy sycophant by my side rather than my own _childe_?"

"You didn't seem in any hurry to Embrace her, Sebastian," she pointed out, waving a finger in his face. "You're one to talk about emotions controlling your actions..."

LaCroix's jaw tightened, and his fists clenched at his sides. "My delaying her Embrace was, at least in part, calculated to prevent such an act from being controlled by emotion," he said, his voice low and even. "This...murderous plot is so erratic and spontaneous that I'd more expect it of a Brujah's childe than a Ventrue."

That insult hit home, I could see. Samantha's fangs were bared, her own fists clenched. She took a quick deep breath, then lifted her chin with a haughty smile. "Regardless of what _you_ think, Sebastian, you have no jurisdiction here. I'm surprised you didn't just do away with my brother and whine to Pensacola's Prince."

"What do you take me for?" LaCroix hissed, his own fangs bared as he stepped closer to Samantha. "I know that you and this city's Prince share a sire. You've probably got him wrapped around your little finger just as you do Joseph." Samantha only responded with a grin while I blinked at LaCroix in surprise. Joseph had certainly sired an interesting range of childer...someone like Samantha was, in my mind, on the total opposite end of the proverbial spectrum from a Camarilla Prince. LaCroix raised his chin to look down his nose at her. His frame relaxed, and he turned away from her with his hand clasped behind his back. "Nevertheless, you _are _right, Samantha. I hold no jurisdiction outside Los Angeles. My influence is almost useless here." He stopped beside Blake's chair and placed a hand on the Tremere's shoulder, beginning to smile. Samantha's brow furrowed in confusion. LaCroix glanced at me. "Natalie, you've finished that glass, yes?" I glanced at the empty glass in my hand and nodded. "Then your orders are to keep Miss Xavier away from me _or _the door using any means necessary until I tell you otherwise."

I hardly had time to shift my gaze from LaCroix to Samantha before Blake cried out in pain. I looked back to him and saw him reaching up to the shoulder that LaCroix's hand was on. The Prince was gripping as hard as he could, and Blake's howls of pain told me his shoulder was being crushed. My eyes went back to Samantha to gauge her reaction. She looked back to me, having heard LaCroix's order. When her attention was drawn back to Blake from another cry of pain, I stepped closer to her, just in case. LaCroix's free hand grabbed Blake's face, and he bent until he was eye to eye with the seated Tremere. "If the pain is too much for you, you can instead kill your sister and serve her the punishment that I know won't come otherwise," LaCroix growled.

Those words made Samantha take a step back. "Blake..."

Blake growled, his voice turning into a whine as LaCroix renewed his grip. "Fuck...you..." Blake said. His response shocked me. He was denying an order? But...he was bound to LaCroix, wasn't he?

LaCroix's next words cleared my confusion. "It's your choice, Mr. Xavier. I can serve your punishment instead, if you'd prefer."

"Go ahead," Blake said, his voice strained. "Not like I've got shit to live for anyway..."

"Shame..." LaCroix said, clucking his tongue once. "I'd so hoped your disdain for your sister would prompt you to take your aggression out on her. A family duel to the death would have been entertaining, but..." He shrugged and stepped behind Blake's chair, meeting Samantha's gaze with a smile. With a quick motion, he took hold of Blake's head and turned it round with a sickening crack, breaking Blake's neck fatally and leaving a pile of ashes in the velvet upholstered chair. Samantha gaped in disbelief as LaCroix dusted his hands off. "Natalie..." he said, frowning as he brushed ash from his suit.

"Yes?" I couldn't take my eyes off the chair that Blake had been in just seconds ago.

LaCroix glanced up at me. "I've administered the punishment I've had right to since Mr. Xavier killed you," he said calmly. "I need you to take care of his sister."

"You're mad," Samantha broke in, slowly backing towards the door.

"Natalie, remember your orders," LaCroix said, a warning in his voice.

I nodded, turning towards Samantha. She tried to turn and run as soon as she saw me snap out of my frozen state. Her retreat came too late, though, as I was able to grab her shirt collar to prevent her from leaving the room. She twisted around and raked her fingernails down my face, making me jerk away and giving her the opportunity to pull out of my grip. She sprinted away, but I was right on her heels. I was able to get a grip on her arm from behind before she reached the front door to the mansion, pulling her to the floor as she squealed angrily. She continued to swipe at me, her nails practically filed into claws; but I was prepared for this kind of attack now. I gained my footing and began dragging her back into the sitting room, one hand gripping her shirt, the other arm wrapped around her neck. I kept my head down so she couldn't claw at my eyes, but I had to grit my teeth as she pulled my hair as hard as she could.

With all my strength, I swung Samantha around and threw her against a couch in the sitting room. "Is this amusing you?" I said to LaCroix through gritted teeth when I noticed him calmly sitting in one of the armchairs, just watching.

"Very much," he said with an evil smirk. "Let me know if you need help."

I was about to counter his remark with something witty, but it was knocked out of my head with an attacking Samantha jumping on me and slamming my head into the wooden floor. She was clearly no longer interested in escape and was instead going to try to kill me. What that would gain her, I had no idea. She'd then have LaCroix to deal with, and I knew he was more deadly than I. Regardless, I couldn't concentrate on those thoughts at the moment. I had to shake off the dull ache in my head and try to roll her off me. She'd resorted to holding me down by sitting on my back, reaching under my chin and pulling my head back until my neck felt like it was going to crack. I gritted my teeth and braced my arms under me, getting up on my hands and knees. I heard her panicked voice spouting gibberish before I bucked her off and rolled onto my back, allowing me to get back to my feet.

We faced off for a few moments, sizing up the other. We were both Ventrue. Therefore, we both knew what disciplines we had at our disposal. In that situation, Fortitude was our biggest asset. _Wait...is it?_ I thought. I grinned, and I could see that my change in expression threw Samantha off briefly. My grin grew wider, and I began to laugh softly. She licked her lips nervously, baring her fangs and flexing her fingers, already bent like claws again. _I can do this,_ I thought, giving myself a short, silent pep talk. "How much fighting have you done, Sammy?" I asked, still grinning wide enough to show my fangs. She didn't answer. "You ever try to kill your brother when you were a kid, _princess_?" I went on, keeping my voice low. "Brothers are a _great _way to learn how to fight, don'cha think? I know mine nearly went to the hospital several times because of me." Samantha's right eye twitched. I jerked towards her, making her jump back a step. I laughed again, louder this time. Straightening, I raised my chin. "You've got _nothing_," I spat at her. "You _are _nothing. You don't _deserve _to call yourself Ventrue. You're nothing but a cowering mass of dead flesh, waiting for someone to support her and feed her. _Useless_." Keeping my eyes on her, I turned to LaCroix. "She's not worth our time."

"Don't underestimate your opponent," he warned.

As he spoke, I could see Samantha from the corner of my eye, charging me. I sidestepped her, letting her skid to a stop and turn, panting with fangs bared again. I met her eyes, trying consciously to channel anger and violence through my expression. Her stance seemed to falter. Then she stepped back. I picked up the empty blood bottle from a table next to me and hit it sharply on the edge of the table, breaking it and making a weapon for myself. She took another step back then turned suddenly and tried to run again, but I was expecting that. I jumped her, knocking her to the floor and sitting on her back just as she'd done to me earlier. I took a handful of her hair and pulled her head back, positioning the broken bottle under her chin. The sharp glass pierced the soft flesh, letting her blood drip onto the floor. "You may be used to getting everything you want," I said in a low voice, "but not this time." Leaning closer to her, I whispered into her ear, "Sebastian is _mine_." I braced the neck of the bottle on the floor and shoved her head down, impaling the underside of her chin on the broken end. Gripping the neck of the bottle, I then pulled up with a twist of the wrist, turning her head sharply to the side until her neck gave with a crunching sound. She turned to ash under me, leaving me with the bottle in one hand, ash from her hair in the other.

I think I checked out for a few moments, because I seemed to come back to my senses a few moments later when I felt LaCroix's hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him, surprised. I hadn't heard or felt him approach. "Inventive," he said, a smirk on his face. "Not to mention effective."

He offered me a hand to help me up, which I accepted. I was shaking. I'd just killed her. This couldn't be good. "What's going to happen now?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. My eyes were locked onto my hand in LaCroix's, Samantha's blood and ash staining mine.

"We get a hotel and fly back to California tomorrow night," LaCroix said simply.

"But...won't I be in trouble for killing her?"

The Prince smiled. "I'll explain the situation to Prince Holden over the telephone from the hotel," he said, touching my cheek gently before putting a finger under my chin to make me look at him. "You engaged in a fight for honor, not only for your own but for the clan as well. Remember that the Beast _does _still reside in all of us. Sometimes, these matters are best dealt with in a fight to the death, even as Ventrue. You came out on top."

I shook my head slowly. "I had no idea that Ventrue could condone something like this..."

"Not _publicly_," he said, raising an eyebrow slightly. "These matters are dealt with in private and not spoken of. There are no audiences, no crowd scenes. If it comes to the point when two Ventrue must engage in a duel like this, it is merely settling a strife once and for all to prevent it from getting in the way of other ventures any longer. The rest of your Agoge awaits you now. You can move on with it without this matter hanging in your thoughts."

I nodded and realized that I was beginning to lean against him. The fight had taken a lot out of me. Even worse, I was beating myself up inside. "My Presence didn't work," I lamented, feeling ashamed.

"You've not had much opportunity to practice," LaCroix said soothingly, stroking my hair with his free hand. "Regardless of your failure there, your _attempts _seemed to be effective enough in this case. You managed to intimidate and infuriate her even if you were trying to do something different." Taking hold of my shoulders, he held me away from him to look at me. "You were victorious, regardless of the means. Take that and be glad for it for now."

I nodded. "Yes, of course," I relented. Maybe he was right. One failure didn't mean much. However, it drove home the point that I should take more opportunities to practice.

"Come now," he said, tucking my hand into the crook of his arm and leading me to the door. "You can relax the rest of the night if you like."

"We're getting a hotel?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Sharing a room?"

I smirked a bit at LaCroix's sigh upon hearing my question. "No."

"A suite, then?" Before LaCroix could shoot that idea down, I said, "After all, anyone who has the slightest chance to see and recognize us would think it odd for us to be having separate rooms, wouldn't they?"

"We're not _married_, Miss Lucas..." LaCroix said with another sigh.

"All the same, I seem to remember _you _being the one to point out that these characters we play in this little ruse would have already been sexually involved, is that right?"

LaCroix stopped and looked at me, frowning. "I've told you before, I'm _not_-"

"And I'm not asking you to," I said with a chuckle. "I'm merely saying that, to keep up appearances, if we were to get some sort of suite in which we could still sleep separately, we could do so while anyone who may be keeping an eye on us would assume that we weren't."

A third sigh. "Fine." I smiled triumphantly as we walked out to the car. Before starting the engine, LaCroix looked at me, eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you insist on thinking that someone is keeping tabs on us here?" he asked.

"I've a suspicious nature," I answered with a shrug. "I find it's better to act as if one is always being watched rather than let one's guard down at a moment when someone really _is _watching from a distance."

LaCroix nodded as he turned the key in the ignition. "I certainly can't fault you for that, I suppose..."


	30. Chapter 30

LaCroix was able to find a posh hotel with an available penthouse suite rather easily. As soon as we were in the room, I flopped onto the couch and turned on the tv. LaCroix gave me a look laced with disgust before pulling a book out of his suitcase and sitting down in one of the over-cushioned armchairs to read. I turned down the volume on the television to let him concentrate on his reading a little more easily. He glanced at the tv, then me, then went back to reading without a word. I let myself get lost in a movie I found, a vigilante justice movie, the two blue-collar workers gunning down mafia villains while staying a step ahead of the three boneheaded detectives working on solving the mystery of who was committing the murders. I'd seen it a few years earlier, but it was entertaining at least. The subject matter made my mind wander back to what we'd just done. Taking the law into our own hands, punishing those who were trying to steal from us. Well...Samantha wanted to steal LaCroix's control of Los Angeles. Blake wanted to steal...what, me? To hear him tell it, yes. It still struck me as strange that I'd be an object of desire for him; but then again, he _had _gotten the wrong impression of me. He thought I was better than I was, and apparently more stupid if he thought I'd willingly go with him.

I glanced up at LaCroix. Sometime during my movie, he'd taken off his coat and gone back to reading. I smiled, noting the fact that he was slightly slouched in the chair, obviously comfortable in spite of the frown on his face. He was concentrating, totally lost in the book, whatever it was. I considered asking what he was reading, then thought better of it. I'd let him enjoy something without my interference for once. He glanced up at me as if he could feel me looking at him, and I smiled. No use in pretending I hadn't been watching him. He'd caught me. "Sorry," I said, not waiting for him to ask why I was looking at him. "Didn't mean to stare."

His brow twitched slightly as confusion passed over his face briefly. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No."

Another look of confusion, then he shook his head as well, muttering something in French before going back to his book. I giggled softly, but he still heard it. "What?" he said in an exasperated tone.

"Nothing!"

He sighed and got up. "Dear lord, you're distracting..." he grumbled.

I jumped up to stop him as he began to walk out of the room. "No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," I apologized. "Really, I was trying _not _to. You looked so comfortable and relaxed..." I shrugged, my hand on his arm. "I don't see you like that often." His eyes studied mine for a moment, and I smiled. "Listen, I'll leave. You stay and read. I'll give you some peace and quiet for once."

His expression seemed to soften a bit. "What will you do?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. Nap. Maybe there's a tv in the bedroom too. Doesn't matter. I just want you to relax for once. You deserve it."

He still looked a little confused but nodded. "If you insist..."

Reaching up, I affectionately touched his face briefly. "I do," I said with a smile. "Have a good evening, Prince."

"And you, Miss Lucas."

I left him in the "living room" area of the suite and walked down the hall towards the two bedrooms available. I chose the smaller, feeling it was only right to let LaCroix have the master bedroom. Thankfully, I found that my room _did _have a television, which I let entertain me until I fell asleep when the sun rose.

The next morning, after awakening and freshening up, I went into the living room where I found LaCroix just pulling himself out of the armchair, eyes slightly bleary from sleep. His book fell from his lap when he stood. "You slept there?" I asked, chuckling.

"Seems that way," he mumbled as he bent to pick up the book.

"Must be a good book, at least," I remarked.

He shrugged, frowning at a page that had bent when the book hit the floor. "It's engaging enough." Looking up at me and sweeping back a lock of hair from his forehead with a hand, he asked, "Are you ready to leave?" I nodded. "All right. Let me get ready, and we'll leave for the airport."

"Would you like me to check us out of the room?" I asked.

"If you'd like," he replied, reaching into a pocket in his dress slacks. He pulled out a billfold, stuffed with money and handed it to me.

I raised an eyebrow. "You're not paying with a card?"

"The less of a paper trail, the better," he replied, disappearing down the hall.

In truth, I agreed with him. That didn't make me any less uncomfortable while paying at the front desk downstairs. The desk clerk gave me an odd look and made sure to check every single bill I'd given him for being counterfeit before printing off a receipt and letting me leave. I was about to head back to the room, but LaCroix met me at the elevator with our luggage instead. He was obviously in a hurry to leave Pensacola, a fact for which I was grateful. I, too, wanted to get back to Los Angeles as quickly as possible.

In the car as we drove to the airport, I asked, "Did you talk to the city's prince?"

"I called before leaving," he replied. "He didn't answer. I emailed him the particulars."

I chuckled. "_That _will be interesting news to find in an email, I'll bet."

"I'm sure it will be."

Conversation during the flight back was rare. We sat across from each other this time, but I soon changed seats to sit next to LaCroix. He gave me a quick glance, then went back to his book. I noticed he was nearly finished with it. Glancing at the page, I tried in vain to figure out the French. My head began to swim a bit with all the unfamiliar combinations of letters; so I sat back in my seat, giving up. After a moment's thought, I looked at LaCroix and said, "How easily do you think you'd be able to teach me French?"

He didn't look at me, nor did he hesitate with his answer. "That would depend on how badly you wished to learn."

I pursed my lips in thought. How badly _did _I want to learn? And another question came to mind: _Why _did I want to learn? To be able to read his books? No, more like, to be able to have something more personal in common with him. To have our own little "code" language to speak whenever I didn't want someone else knowing what I was saying to him. Just to be closer to him in some way. So much for getting over my infatuation. "Probably should wait until after the rest of my _Agoge_, huh?" I said.

"That would be prudent." He still didn't look up at me, and I thought of another reason I wanted to learn French: I wanted to be able to ask him to read to me without getting the question "Why would you want to hear a language you can't understand?" I sighed and shifted in my seat until I was leaning away from him. Damned infatuation. Damned blood bond. My position in my seat proved to be better for gazing at him, so I got up and changed to a seat across the aisle. Damned LaCroix...

* * *

When we arrived at Venture Tower, we both went to our respective suites with quick, polite farewells exchanged. We'd barely beat the sunrise. The next night, I thought I'd find LaCroix in his office as usual; but he wasn't there. I didn't let it alarm me. Instead, I left the tower and went to visit Mr. Chambers for the evening. He seemed pleased to see me, but my head really wasn't in the visit. I apologized and excused myself from his presence after a few hours. He almost seemed relieved. I'd been able to hear the exasperation in his voice and little sighs when I constantly was tuning him out. It wasn't on purpose, and I felt guilty about it. As I left, I told him I was apparently jet-lagged or something, that I'd come back next night and be more attentive. He dismissed me with a wave of his hand and a curt "Good night, then."

I went to my suite to grab a book and my iPod before going back to LaCroix's office. I'd only had time to light the fireplace, however, before the door banged open. LaCroix stormed in, slamming it shut behind him angrily. "What's wrong?" I asked, instantly tensing up.

He apparently hadn't noticed my presence before I spoke, judging by the way he spun to look at me, eyes flashing. When he comprehended that it was only me, his lips pressed tightly together. "As soon as I got to my office this evening, I was met with a summon to meet with an archon, speaking on behalf of the Ventrue justicar," he said, gesturing with his hand and a jerk of his head towards the door.

A lump of dread settled in my stomach. "Whatever for?" I asked softly. _This can't be good... _I thought.

"Apparently, the prince of Pensacola was rather disturbed by my email and contacted the highest contact he knew in this city." LaCroix was pacing now, hands clasped tightly behind his back. "He felt I overstepped my bounds in spite of this matter being a _personal _problem and reported that I've committed a misuse of power outside my jurisdiction." He stopped pacing and leaned on the back of a chair, bracing himself on his hands. "The justicar doesn't want this going public, as my actions were in response to a personal conflict within the clan, but she made no secret that I'm to be supervised from now on. _Me!_"

"Supervised?" I repeated, dumb with shock.

Baring his fangs and letting loose a small growl, LaCroix looked at me, then let his head drop, seeming to deflate. "Since I chose to deal with the matter in such a violent way rather than take it to a Ventrue court, I've been put on a tentative probation," he said, his voice still rich with rage in spite of his stance.

"What does _that _mean?"

"It means that, to the public eye, I'm still prince. However, my every move and decision will be second-guessed and monitored by the Ventrue primogen and archon."

My jaw dropped slightly. "This isn't..._permanent_, is it?" I asked.

LaCroix sighed, the sound ending in another growl. "Supposedly not. But it will take me _years _to win back their trust. I'll be lucky if I'm not forced out of office by then." His jaw tightened; and in a fit of anger, he knocked over the chair he'd been leaning on before stalking to the back of the office to lean against the window frame.

I was unsure if I should try to calm him or leave him to work out his anger on his own. I decided the latter would be best, if I'd learned anything from the last time I'd angered him myself. He'd just taken a major blow to his _dignitas_. It was a personal thing for him. Better for me to stay out of it as much as possible. But still, I had questions. "Prince, if they've leveled such a heavy penalty on you, what does this mean for me?" I asked, stepping over to his desk. "_My _actions weren't without fault, I assume."

He let out a bark of a laugh. "_You?_ You're not even part of the _clan_! They don't care about what _you've_ done! The way they see it, your involvement was no more than that of a pet dog, obeying its master's kill command. Because you've not been accepted into the clan yet, the result of your every move is viewed as if it was done by _my _hand."

A chill went through my body. He was right, of course. Because he was my sire, until I became accountable for myself after my _Agoge_, he was responsible for my actions. "I'm sorry," I said softly, unable to think of anything else to say.

He scoffed, still having his back turned to me. "Do not apologize for following the orders I gave," he said, his voice slightly softer. "You did as you were supposed to. _I'm_ the one who lost sight of the way Ventrue should deal with such things."

I wanted to argue that if I'd refused his order, he may not have been in such hot water. But in reality, I knew better. He would have been forced to deal with Samantha himself, _if_ he hadn't dominated me into killing her. The actions would have remained the same, no matter by whose hand. So instead, I took a deep breath and said, "I'm only sorry that I've caused so much trouble in your life and career since we've met. If I'd not involved myself in your dealings with Samantha, none of this would have happened." I waited for some kind of response, but none came. Perhaps there was nothing more to be said. "I'll leave you alone," I told him, "but before I go, is there anything you'd have me do?"

For a long moment, I thought he wasn't going to answer. Just before I was going to turn and leave, he straightened and turned around to face me. I stood straight myself, practically at attention as he slowly approached me. "Do nothing different than you've done so far," he said softly, coming to stand a pace away from me. "Continue your _Agoge_. Allow yourself to learn from your mentors. Excel in your tests and any business dealings in which you may choose to involve yourself. Come to me with questions if you can't gain the answers from your mentors." He paused, then stepped closer to me, laying a hand on my shoulder. "It is very possible that my career depends on your success. If you come out of this favorably, it will prove me to be a competent sire and allow me to regain some footing in the eyes of the clan. The justicar won't be able to take that lightly."

I nodded. "Then my orders are to make you proud?" I asked, allowing myself a small smile.

LaCroix smirked. "Your orders are to succeed in the task at hand."

My smile widening, I bowed deeply. "As my sire wishes."

LaCroix chuckled, touching his fingertips to my cheek for a brief second. "Allow me to give you one piece of information that may help," he said, his voice thoughtful. "The last task in your _Agoge _will be to establish your own domain of influence without any other Ventrue assisting you in your task. I don't care how you do it, and you can use your own interpretation of what a 'domain of influence' should be. As long as you abide by tradition and do not infringe upon other Ventrue and can provide proof of your success in this task to me, we'll be able to move on to your final presentation for admittance into the clan." He put up a finger to illustrate he was about to make a point. "I don't expect you to move forward with any part of this now. You need to learn _much _more before taking up such a task. I'm telling you this so you will be aware of what's to come and begin making the proper contacts you may need _now_."

Slowly, I grinned. "Letting me take a look at the final exam's answers before even beginning the lesson," I summarized.

"Essentially."

"Duly noted," I said. This bit of information actually excited me. It would really give me a chance to prove myself, not just get the right answers to preconceived questions. "I'll begin considering my options and what I may like to do, then."

LaCroix grinned. "Go," he said, jerking his head slightly towards the door. "Prove to me that I have no reason to regret my decision to allow you to meddle so much." His words being an acknowledgment to my apology and his smile reassuring, I nodded and left his office. As I'd already excused myself from Mr. Chambers's company earlier in the evening, I went to my suite and hunted down a notebook I'd hardly used during the first stage of my _Agoge_. Sitting at the table with a pen in my hand and the notebook in front of me, I began to ponder what undertakings were available at which I may want to try my hand, making notes as I went.

* * *

The next several years of my _Agoge _went slowly, but I learned a lot. I took on several different mentors. By the end of my tutelage with each, they seemed pleased with the results I was able to show them. Of course, however, as fate is wont to do, the mentors with whom I spent the most time were the ones I liked least, the slave-drivers and critics, those who felt themselves to be the _most _influential and the _highest _Ventrue personality in the city. Never mind that I was the_ prince's_ childe. No, that meant nothing to them. I was still a neonate in their eyes, no matter how many mentors I'd previously had or how much knowledge I was able to exhibit. These were the ones who treated me like a fledgeling who knew nothing of Kindred or Ventrue ways, holding my hand constantly and berating me mercilessly. That isn't to say that I was unable to learn from them. On the contrary, I seemed to learn the _most _from them, not because I spent the most time under their wing, but because I was determined to show them that they underestimated me by excelling in my studies. Of course, this only made them more critical of the results which I'd present to them. If one slight detail wasn't perfect, I was belittled and forced to begin from scratch. It reminded me of my first few weeks as Ventrue under LaCroix, really. This time, however, my resolve was stronger, my determination more protective of my pride, what I'd begun to think of as my _dignitas_. By the end of four years, my work was visibly paying off. I'd made some important contacts, some names coming to mind that surprised even my sire.

That's not to say, of course, that I'd had good luck with _all _Ventrue with whom I crossed paths. For reasons I couldn't ever comprehend, the elder Ventrue who chose to take an interest in me quickly tired of me. Their frustration was never evident in their words or voices, but their expressions told a whole story to me. There was something that I constantly missed with them. They'd eventually say that I'd passed their tests and lessons, and we'd go our separate ways, but I always felt as if they'd just made some things up that they knew I couldn't fail rather than really challenge me. When I brought this up with LaCroix, he seemed slightly puzzled himself but mentioned that he hadn't been in great favor with the majority of them either. He blamed it on jealousy, admitting he was rather young to have accomplished what he had in a mere two centuries. I asked him if it may also be due to the fact that he'd not been formally released from his "tentative probation," but my question was left unanswered, his only response being a cold glare that had all but chased me from his office.

Yes, my sire had remained under the watchful eye of the Ventrue justicar and her archon for that full four years. He continued with his business of being prince as usual, careful to avoid any situations out of the ordinary, choosing to go the "safe" path of normalcy-as much as Kindred life allowed, anyway. I knew he could get away with this and carry on in this manner only because so much rested on _me_. Everyone who knew his situation was aware of how much relied on my success. It may sound as if I had enough pressure on me to drive me out of my mind, but it turned out that I thrived on it. It drove me to go beyond what I thought possible for myself to accomplish. For all my hoping that I could "grow out" of my infatuation for LaCroix, in truth, it wound up to be my greatest driving force. I believed that he could sense that as well. Our interactions were nothing noteworthy during those four years for the most part. Business as usual. He'd ask me to run the occasional errand for him, but he never let those get in the way of my meeting with a mentor or doing anything else in relation to my _Agoge_.

Then there were the times when I swore my heart was trying to beat again because of him. You see, LaCroix was all business until he felt it necessary to renew his bond over me. He'd let roughly three or four months pass before I'd find myself approached by him in a manner outside the ordinary. For example, he knocked on the door to my suite one night and asked me to come with him. The first thing I noticed was that he was dressed somewhat casually for him. No coat or tie, but the same dress shirt and slacks as always. I shrugged it off, figuring he was taking a break from work for a few moments; and I followed him. He wouldn't tell me where he was taking me, my questions answered with silence. He just led me to the elevator, which we rode to the highest floor of offices and cubicles before the penthouse suite. Finally he spoke, asking me if I'd ever ventured out onto the roof of the tower. I told him that I hadn't, and he grinned as he opened a fire exit. Taking my hand he led me up the stairs and out onto the roof. It was winter, raining with a strong wind at that height. He took me to the edge of the roof where there was a chain-link fence to prevent falls. He told me to lean against the fence as I looked out over the city, resting my forehead against it so my vision wouldn't comprehend there was anything between me and the view. After letting me gaze out over the lights for a few minutes, I felt his arms around my waist and his lips on my neck. I was effectively pinned between him and the fence, but I'd had no desire to go anywhere else anyway. The only time he let me shift position was when it was to turn to face him, his lips taking mine instantly when I did so.

I knew he wanted me to drink from him, but he stopped me every time I'd tried. He didn't allow me to until after taking me back into the building, down to his suite. His eyes had been locked on mine the entire way, the only exception being when he let me kiss him. But whenever my mouth began to travel down his neck, he'd pull away. When we'd finally gotten inside his suite, he took my hand and sat on the couch, pulling me into his lap. The flurry of kisses and touches that ensued made me nearly ache to breathe. He bit my neck and lips a few times, always careful to avoid using his fangs; but I wondered if he _wanted _to. Every time he bit, though, his hands gripped me a little tighter; and his kisses became a little more frantic as if he was losing control of the situation. During one of those moments, I'd pulled back, forcing him to stop and look at me. I asked him if it was his humanity making him so passionate or the Beast making him thirsty. He didn't answer, only licking his lips, a gesture that I couldn't read as leaning towards one answer or the other. He reached up with one hand, unbuttoning his shirt a few buttons, telling me that I'd been trying all night, that I might as well take what I'd been wanting. With his words, my own questions left my mind; and my longing for his blood took over. A small part of me, though, wanted to chastise him for making it so easy for me. So I teased him a while, slowly kissing and licking his lips before moving to his jaw, lightly brushing my lips over it on my way to his ear and finally his neck. My hand traced shapes on his chest the whole while, and I could feel him constantly shifting under me, squirming and making impatient if not pleasured groans and whimpers. The whole time I teased him, really, was just as painful for me. His skin was more chilled than normal from the rainwater, and it only enhanced his taste under my lips and tongue. Finally I plunged my fangs into his flesh, making him cry out and filling my senses with the rush his blood always gave me. Once more, he'd renewed his bond, I knew; but I couldn't care. He was my master, my sire, the object of my affection, my obsession.

And that's essentially how it went during those four years. I found it relatively easy to find my place as Ventrue. Other Kindred I met sometimes were surprised to hear me say I was only a few years old, still in the midst of my "apprenticeship," as I called it when talking to those outside my clan. Some tended to brush me off when they found out; others gained a stronger interest in me, usually those of the Toreador clan for some reason, though there were some exceptions to this. The latter group praised my abilities to walk as Kindred even if I was still a fledgeling, but they also often questioned why my sire hadn't cut me loose to live my own life and follow my own path. I'd usually dance around the question with an easy laugh, telling them that I was glad of it, that I didn't know what I'd do without him at that point in my "apprenticeship," and that Ventrue just naturally take their time to ease their childer into the swirling pool of fanged piranhas known as Kindred.

Then...there were the Malkavians. My relationship with their clan from the beginning had been...interesting, to say the least. Revealing without fail, one could say. It was as if they drew great pleasure from tracking me down and translating the book that was my state of being into their own twisted, convoluted language before giving it back to me to figure out. Why I seemed to attract their insanity was never clear to me. Jeanette Voerman was of particular note. She rarely seemed to fall victim to the usual ramblings that her clan seemed to commonly spout, but she liked to stick close to me whenever I ventured into Santa Monica. At first, I made a point of avoiding The Asylum because of this; but I soon found it wouldn't matter. While sitting in a booth at the Surfside Diner with my mentor of the moment, I noticed her sitting across the restaurant, just watching me. As I left a visit with Mercurio and walked to my car, I found her flirting with the security guard at the art gallery across the street, her eyes shifting to me when I spotted her as if she could feel my gaze. So I finally stopped trying to avoid her, instead choosing to humor her and try to figure her out a little bit in my small talk with her when I visited the club. Admittedly, I failed miserably at this, as could be expected. Her sister, Therese, was a little easier to examine and figure out, though I was surprised to find how many traits she shared with her sister. I didn't know if they were twins or what, but some resemblances in their voices and mannerisms were uncanny. Regardless, Therese's apparent obsession with the Ventrue clan made her more of an open book for me. I regretfully had few encounters with her, however. Jeanette was the one more likely to search me out.

During the four years I've been relating, my overall experiences with the members of Clan Malkavian, while several, were mostly inconsequential. It all seemed as if I was being tested by them as well as my own clanmates, taught how to decipher even the most confusing slights of tongue. As time passed and I began to gain a bit of knowledge regarding how to translate some Malkavian insights, I found that the same ability was useful in interpreting my own dreams. Granted, every individual Malkavian had his own ways of telling me things, thereby making it impossible to hope to understand them all. One does not grow fluent in Malkavian. Still, the ability to look beyond the words and to recognize analogies was useful in other aspects of my life. As I said, dreams especially.

_"Her blood on your hands, your blood on his. Your blood on her hands, her blood on his. Your blood in his veins, her blood on your hands, his ashes in the sun."_

I was glad to rarely dream, especially after this one. Its meaning was clear to me, and I wanted to tell LaCroix, but I didn't know how. Through those years, I remembered my offer to him to kill Layla, the one to whom he was bound. This dream, however... If I were to kill her, he would be forced to kill me, probably due to the same law that had gotten him put into his temporary probation as prince in the first place. If she killed me, he'd be forced to kill her somehow; though if my understanding of a blood bond was correct, it would be difficult for him to do so. Not impossible, but difficult nonetheless. But if he were bound to me, and I killed Layla, he'd be ordered to kill me, something he wouldn't want to do due to _our _bond, and-if the dream were to be believed-he'd kill himself to escape his duty and finally put all his strife to rest. Awakening from that dream was hard, and I sat in my bed a long while to think about it. Layla needed to be dealt with, there was no doubt about that. But it was clear to me that _I _couldn't be the one to land the death blow.

This problem weighed heavily on my mind for weeks after the dream had surfaced. Still, I kept it to myself, determined to find a way to fulfill my offer to LaCroix if he ever called on me to do so. More than once, it occurred to me that doing away with Layla could be my gaining my "circle of influence" for the last trial of my _Agoge_. After all, what greater way to increase one's _dignitas _than to have a prince indebted to oneself? But I always shot that thought down quickly, purely for the fact that I'd have to explain this triumph to the elders, not only revealing the prince's bond to Layla, but also risking their disfavor at my ordering someone of the clan to be killed. No, that was to be a matter to be dealt with separately, outside the bounds of my _Agoge_.

The question still remained of how I'd finish my _Agoge_. What would I do to prove to LaCroix that I was ready to be recommended to the _praetor _and _Gerousia _for entrance into the clan? It took three years for my memory to suddenly recall my very first meeting with the elders when they'd questioned me about the circumstances of my Embrace. That meeting in Sacramento, a city still not officially claimed by a prince or baron or bishop. The anarchs liked to claim it as part of their "free state" as they called it; but it belonged to no one, really. I wasn't under the delusion that I could, by my own power, bring it into Camarilla rule especially since the undertaking to do exactly that had already started years earlier; but I _did _feel that, by making the right contacts in that city, I could at least make my presence felt. The childe of Sebastian LaCroix, Prince of Los Angeles, would _have _to be noticed if she took an interest in the city, right? After all, that first meeting had ended with my proclamation that I may at some time push for my own claim of the city. To gain favor with the Kindred there, especially the most influential and most Camarilla-involved... It would greatly increase the chances that, _someday_, I could gain office there. Definitely not prince right away. I'd be lucky to schmooze my way to Senechal immediately, and that's only if I were to gain favor with whomever eventually winds up to be prince there. Besides, I was fully aware that there was a good chance that I'd be filling that position for LaCroix as soon as my _Agoge _was finished. This posed a small problem in itself as I'd have to separate from that position in Los Angeles before taking up any position in Sacramento, but it was something that could be dealt with much later. I had an eternity to consider that and work with it. But back to making contacts in Sacramento and eventually finding a place there...perhaps Harpy...

Regardless, making and placing contacts there would benefit both me and the Camarilla in the long run. This could be a task that could take another several years to come to fruition, I knew, _if _it were to come to fruition at all. If everything were in vain, I'd have to start from scratch on a new project and still be on the outside looking in with regards to Clan Ventrue. That prospect was, to say the least, unattractive. I plotted with that in mind for a year before beginning to make moves that I felt were beneficial to my plan. While there were very few new Ventrue being Embraced, even in a city as large as Los Angeles, I made it my business to meet and assess every one of them. Most of them, I could understand why they'd been Embraced. Intelligent, quiet, well-mannered and usually well-resourced, they fit my understanding of the quintessential Ventrue. These individuals, I made close friends of. During our conversations, I spoke frequently of how Los Angeles was going to easily become overpopulated in regards to Kindred and how hard it would be for newly introduced neonates to gain any headway. After all, it would be easier to get by in cities such as Sacramento or some other place not yet truly defined...

The other new Ventrue weren't worth my time. Their sires were usually the more boring and _plebeian_ of my mentors, those whom I'd impressed all too easily and got cut loose from very quickly. Embraced for all the wrong reasons in my mind, these fledglings were usually illegal; or so I suspected. When I spoke to LaCroix about them, he frowned and explained that he was still looking into their background as they'd claimed to be from "out of town." He knew very well by whom they were sired; the hard part was proving it in order to be able to bring the appropriate punishment down on them. Knowing that the axe would soon be taken to their necks, I didn't waste my time befriending them.

My new friends and I frequently began making trips to Sacramento, albeit separately. LaCroix was fully aware of my outings as I was usually gone for two or three days at a time, and I always informed him that I'd be unavailable during those instances. I could always see a curiosity in his eyes whenever I told him of one of these trips, but he never asked what I was doing there. I always believed that he felt content to let the mystery unfold like a story, the climax being the big reveal of what was really going on. He was intrigued but didn't want to spoil the surprise. During my excursions north, I found myself dropping LaCroix's name frequently in order to make someone sit up and take notice. Most of them had heard of me; those that hadn't were intrigued by this woman whom the prince of Los Angeles apparently found worthy to bring into the fold. Some began to take note of those towards whom I tended to gravitate. They noticed that I stayed close to those with influence and power. I began to feel like a vampire in other ways, siphoning influence off my companions to gain my own. But really, how else was a Ventrue to get by these days, especially one as new as myself?

As the Ventrue population-really, the _Kindred_ population-in Sacramento began to grow, so too did the mumblings for a structured government. No, this wasn't all my doing. My contacts with the young ones merely made them go to their sires and echo my ideas. Their sires began to talk amongst each other and to friends who were members of other clans and so on. Needless to say, once this all got to LaCroix's ears, he wasn't exactly ecstatic with me. After all, I was slowly filtering out the members of his court that were most likely to agree with any decision that might come down to either a public vote or at least a hearing where the Kindred of the city would be able to voice an opinion. More than once, I was called to his office and met with a fierce frown from my sire along with an inquiry as to why I had influenced so-and-so to leave the city. More than once, I'd gotten myself out of said sticky situation by shrugging and telling him that I hadn't even had contact with so-and-so in over a year, that it was more the influence of so-and-so's childe than my own. I couldn't control what was repeated, even though I'd spoken in confidence to said childe. LaCroix never bought it for a moment, but he would always eventually dismiss me with a grumble. I'd leave with a smirk. My sire was wrapped around my little finger. He was a little too affectionate to ever really punish me, and I'd realized that fast just by the fact that I _was _able to get away with such things. If I wasn't the prince's childe, those meetings with said prince probably would not have been able to go so smoothly.

Don't think that I thought myself to be above the law. No, I never once thought that; my sire's careful overseeing of the city with full knowledge that his every move was monitored by the justicar constantly reminded me of that. After all, if _he _couldn't get away with anything he wanted, who was I to think that _I_ could? No, _au contraire_, I constantly read and re-read Camarilla guidelines and laws to make sure that I wasn't overstepping bounds and to search for loopholes where they'd come in handy. As far as I had found, there was no law discouraging holding conversations with one's friends that may focus on moving to another city. However, I also hope I've not given the impression that I was completely undermining my sire. In fact, where one Ventrue left, I made every effort I could to talk to a member of a different clan, increasing their opinion of Prince LaCroix just by the impression his childe could leave on them. At least, I tried. It wasn't really all that effective in most cases, and some just couldn't be convinced to favor him. I made the mistake of overestimating my abilities once, chatting up someone who I knew frequented The Last Round. If anything, I practically delivered him to Nines's lap, screaming at me over his shoulder about my being a "Cammy zealot." Can't win 'em all, as some say.

During that year, I made myself rather well known. If I didn't talk to the right people, my friends did. The opinion of Los Angeles's Ventrue population was split down the middle in regards to me: half felt that I was a well-bred, diplomatic, friendly example of exactly what our clan should be; the other half felt that I was too brash, too transparent, and would ultimately lead to the destruction of Prince LaCroix's career if he didn't shut me up. There was hardly any middle ground. The opinion of the latter group, however, did influence me to tone down my zeal in making contacts. I needed the power of convincing people that I could be successful without being overbearing. Once I began to keep to myself a bit more, I found that curiosity led some to me. Others that I yearned to speak with and tried to gain attention from pointedly ignored me or politely acknowledged me but quickly brushed me aside as soon as they saw the opportunity to do so. I'd made a bad impression on them from the beginning, and they refused to take a second look at my growth. A harsh lesson learned.

* * *

Finally, the night came when I received letter that made me laugh out loud with glee. I took it up to LaCroix's office with a grin on my face. When I presented it to him, he raised an eyebrow and looked at me while slowly taking the expensive stationery out of my hand. "What's this?" he asked.

"My triumph," I stated, crossing my arms.

He gave me a skeptical look and rose from his seat as he began to read the letter out loud, pacing as he did so.

_"Miss Lucas, out of all the Kindred I know, you are among a small few to learn of this early. Despite your young age, it was, in part, your influence that provided me this opportunity. Many individual princes of the Camarilla are still yet to learn of this, including your own Prince LaCroix, I think."_ LaCroix stopped reading there and glanced at me before continuing. I kept my proud smirk on my face in spite of the displeasure I read on his.

_"As you can imagine, it is with great pride that I can announce to you that the Camarilla has finally been able to stake official claim to Sacramento-" _LaCroix's jaw dropped, and his eyes widened as his voice cut off. He looked at me incredulously before finishing the sentence._ "-and I've been chosen to be its first prince."_ I nodded, motioning to him with a hand to read on. _"If it hadn't been for your suggestion to move here in the first place and leave Los Angeles due to its current overcrowded state for a Ventrue such as myself, this would have never even been in my wildest dreams."_ Again, LaCroix stopped and looked at me with wonder.

"Oh, keep going," I goaded. "It gets better."

_"In light of this news, I would like to extend to you a permanent state of residency as long as I am prince. I invite you to ask of me anything you may need if you find yourself in my city, and I shall have a haven awaiting you if you ever find need of it. Also, please expect a formal invitation to the small celebration I'll be holding in light of these events. You should be receiving it in the mail soon after this letter._

_"Once more, I thank you for your involvement in these happenings. You've certainly gained your sire's influential hand, and I feel it will serve you well in your future endeavors. Respectfully yours, Victor Evans, Camarilla Prince of Sacramento."_ LaCroix shook his head as he studied the letter for a few seconds more. Finally, he laid the letter on his desk and looked at me. "You...I..." I giggled at his speechlessness. LaCroix eventually laughed himself, shaking his head again. "I had a feeling whatever you were working on would be impressive, but _this_... I never would have expected you to have such a hand in this."

"It was a gamble," I said with a shrug. "But I figured that _one _of them had to take the place of prince eventually, even if it took _years_ for the Camarilla to finally take over. It was just a matter of making sure I sent the right ones."

The prince leaned against his desk, still with a slight smile on his face. "Your perceiving the qualities of fellow Ventrue on top of manipulating the right people to be placed in the right area at the right time..." He chuckled, looking down at the letter again before glancing up at me with a smirk. "Remind me never to play chess with you."

I giggled again, basking in his praise. "So...I'd say I've gained quite a boon from the new prince," I pointed out, "not to mention the favorable contact I've made in that city..."

"Yes, I'm inclined to agree with you," LaCroix said thoughtfully, looking at the letter again. "Clever way of keeping yourself from stepping on others' toes...just go outside the city altogether, not for your own domain but to gain the favor of someone new to power and obligate them to you at the same time."

"Does that mean it's over? My _Agoge _is complete?" I asked.

LaCroix nodded slowly. "I'll be contacting the _Gerousia _tonight to inform them that you'll be attending the next Board meeting," he said. "You have two weeks to complete any preparation for it that you feel is necessary."

I nodded, feeling a flutter of nervousness in my abdomen. "Might you be willing to offer any advice?" I asked.

He chuckled, crossing his arms. "You don't need it," he stated. "This will be the easiest task yet. All that will be expected of you is a recitation of everything you already know—clan traditions, history, how you overcame this final challenge, possibly a little about yourself... After that, you wait for the vote to accept you goes through, the _praetor _will ask you some questions regarding your lineage and ensuring your loyalty to the clan and the Camarilla. After that..." He shrugged. "Generally, there will be a celebration held in your honor. That night will be a long one. The Board meeting will be a couple hours at most, and the celebration afterward will continue through the rest of the night."

"I may want to at least refresh my memory on history and such, though, right?" I asked.

LaCroix laughed. "If you truly feel the need to, but I believe your nerves are getting the better of you. You'll be fine."

I nodded, walking over to his desk and picking up the letter. After a moment's hesitation, I wrapped my arms around LaCroix's neck, apparently surprising him as it took him several seconds to return the hug. "I hope this works out in _your _favor as well," I said quietly.

He chuckled. "You're much too concerned about that," he said, pulling away from me with a smile. "You should be more involved in your own interests than mine, especially now."

"Maybe, but I can't help it." As I looked at him, I gently stroked his hair at the nape of his neck. "You know how I feel about you."

A slow smirk touched his lips. "Yes, I'm very much aware."

"So you should be able to understand why I want this to reflect well on you..."

His expression softened slightly. "I understand, childe, believe me." He tipped my chin up with a finger and kissed me lightly. "But your emotions will be the death of you one day."

"And what about yours? You've let me get away with too much over the years to let me believe that you've no sort of caring for me." I grinned as I spoke.

He stayed silent for a long while. Finally, he said, "Let me tell you something. I've always viewed such emotions and affection as a deadly weakness. My thoughts on that remain unchanged. Hence why your own affection worries me so. If it were to lead to your undoing in some way, I can't predict how _I _would react. We are each others' weakness, Natalie..."

I stared at him, shocked that he would actually respond in such a way. All along, whenever I teased him about caring more than he let on, he'd brush me off with a snide remark or at least call my accusations preposterous. Now, he was practically admitting to it. It was the closest to a confession of love as I could ever hope to get from Sebastian LaCroix. It scared me, especially since I knew how right his words really were though I'd never thought them myself in the past.

LaCroix cleared his throat, glancing away from my eyes. "Which brings to mind a question," he said, stepping back from me a pace. "After your acceptance into the clan, are you planning on staying in Los Angeles; or is it your intention to move to Sacramento?"

I blinked at him in surprise. "I...haven't really had time to think about it," I told him frankly. "I suppose it depends on what opportunities become available in either."

He nodded slowly. "I don't intend to keep you prisoner here. Once you're recognized as part of the clan, you're free to do as you like."

Looking down at the floor, I chuckled. "Except for the little matter of the bond you hold on me."

"That doesn't prevent you from moving around," he pointed out. "Yes, it may lead you back here frequently; but it wouldn't be for any more than a visit. At that point, I'd really be doing nothing more for you than sating a craving anyway."

I frowned at him. "Regardless, it's something I'll be taking plenty of time to decide," I stated. "As it stands, I have nothing official in Sacramento but a place to live."

"As it is here," LaCroix reminded me.

"Not true. I have you."

My words were met with an almost imperceptible roll of his eyes before he put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me against his chest. "_Incurable romantique..._" he muttered against my hair; and I laughed softly, not needing any translation.

* * *

**A/N: I think I've said this before, but HOLY LONG CHAPTER, BATMAN. XD Ah, but I feel as if we're FINALLY over the peak of the mountain that was Nat's _Agoge_. Hope you guys are still enjoying. :) Thirty chapters in, and there are still a couple loose ends to tie up. Sheesh! LOL  
**


	31. Chapter 31

Two weeks passed by much too quickly for my liking. When the night of the Ventrue Board meeting had arrived, I fussed over every little thing. My clothing, my hair, the light touch of makeup I'd applied, my ways of speech...everything. I wanted to make my best impression on my clanmates. I'd believed LaCroix when he told me that this night would be the easiest task yet; that didn't make me any less nervous. There were still plenty of opportunities for something to go wrong as far as I was concerned. I actually found myself growing angry at my own nervousness, and I took a few deep breaths to fight that back. I needed blood. My agitation was proving too inviting for the Beast within; I needed to slake its thirst before leaving the tower. As I drank down a glass of blood that I'd poured for myself, there was a sharp knock at the door. LaCroix's knock, I recognized. I set the glass on the kitchen counter and straightened my blouse and skirt for the hundredth time that night before answering the door to my suite. I nodded my greeting and left the suite with him without either of us saying a word.

We rode to the gathering place in LaCroix's limousine, and the ride was mostly silent. I looked at LaCroix a few times but caught his eye only once. When I did, his expression remained completely blank. I couldn't tell if he was nervous as well or if he was just leaving me alone with my thoughts. Either way, it wasn't exactly reassuring that he wouldn't speak to me; and I finally had to close my eyes for the rest of the ride to keep myself calm.

As the limo stopped, LaCroix finally leaned over to speak softly into my ear. "I understand that you must be feeling the pressure of the evening, but you can_not_ reveal this to the rest," he warned. "Do you understand?"

I nodded, opening my eyes finally. "Yes, sir," I said softly, looking out the window at the large building we were stopped in front of. I didn't know if it was someone's mansion or the biggest country club in town or where we were exactly. I just knew that it was going to be the richest event of my life thus far.

LaCroix reached over and pulled my chin around so I had no choice but to look at him. "Show no weakness or intimidation," he said. "Eye contact at all times. Chin up, confident stance. I know you can do this. You've done it before without my having to coach you."

Again, I nodded. "Once I'm put on the spot, I'll pull it off," I said with a small smile.

He returned the smile, a small glint in his eye. "Impress them. Remember that you are a prince's childe."

My own smile widened. The words_ I'll do my best_ were on my tongue for a moment, but I predicted an admonishment for that. My best wouldn't be good enough; nothing less than success would be accepted. "I will," I answered instead with a nod. His thumb brushed my cheekbone quickly before he nodded towards the door beside me, letting me know that my pep talk was over. I cleared my throat and raised my chin before cracking open the door to the limousine. The driver took that as his signal to open the door fully and help me from the car before giving a nod to LaCroix as he also exited the vehicle. The prince offered me his arm, which I took with a smile before entering the building.

We were directed to a large room with a single long table in the center, chairs situated at the table and around the perimeter of the room. The turn-out was expected to be quite large, I could tell. _All right, then, Nat,_ I thought. _Time to knock 'em dead. Make them realize that LaCroix didn't make a mistake when he Embraced you. Show them you're a perfectly competent Ventrue already, even so young._ LaCroix guided me to the chair reserved for me; and I sat, admiring the scrolling script on the handwritten place card in front of me. LaCroix sat next to me, and I amused myself by glancing around the room while the rest of the attendees filed into the room where the Board meeting would take place. Several of the Ventrue attending had been mentors of mine, and I greeted them with a polite smile and nod when they made eye contact.

Soon, the room was full; and the elders took their seats at the head of the table. I recognized them from our meeting with them right after my Embrace; and, like that night, I met each of their gazes with my own. I was surprised to realize how much more confident I felt than that first night. The elder sitting at the very head of the table cleared his throat and laced his fingers together as he rested his hands on the table top. "I thank you all for attending tonight's gathering," he spoke, his deep voice kept soft and calm. "The order of tonight's meeting will be different than our usual gatherings. After touching on current affairs of the clan, we will be moving forward with the final stages of one's _Agoge_." He looked at me, as I could feel everyone else around the table doing as well; and I smiled at the elder. It was hard to keep my expression from revealing too much pride; but when he looked away at the rest of the table, I figured I'd done well enough.

The meeting moved onward quickly, clan matters being discussed, sparking a couple debates in the process. It actually was fascinating to me to see the Ventrue clan at work together instead of just viewing the plots and motives of one. LaCroix looked a little bored, but when didn't he? I knew better than to think he wasn't listening just because he had his chin propped on the knuckles of one hand, the fingertips of his other hand tapping silently on the glossy wood surface of the table. His eyes darted from speaker to speaker, and I knew he was taking in every word in his silent, observant way. When things started to die down a bit, one of the elders asked, "Are there any other matters that should be brought to the attention of the Board?" The question was met with silence, and the elder nodded. She straightened a small stack of papers in front of her, tapping them on the table softly. "Then we shall move along. Miss Natalie Lucas, will you please stand before the board?" She gestured with a graceful hand at a whiteboard on the wall at the far end of the room, and I had to keep myself from chuckling as I nodded and took my place. It reminded me of standing in front of a classroom more than anything. Perhaps giving a presentation at a job. In fact, that's _precisely _what it was, I realized. "Miss Lucas," the elder said, adjusting her glasses on her nose, "please tell us a little about yourself and what your sire has managed to teach you thus far."

Before I spoke, I noticed several Ventrue at the table leaning forward to get a better view of me around their clanmates. Some pushed their chairs back a little for the same reason. _All eyes on you, girl. Time to wow 'em._ "My name is Natalie Annabelle Lucas. I was born in upstate New York..."

* * *

When I'd finished relating my history, my lessons, and how I'd approached my final challenge, glances from one Ventrue to another went flying around the table, most of them landing finally on Prince LaCroix. His expression remained blank, though I noticed a certain set to his mouth and jaw that I recognized as being pleased. If my hearing hadn't been somewhat enhanced through the Embrace, I probably would have missed the low buzz of murmurs among my clanmates. "Thank you, Miss Lucas," one of the elders finally said. He gestured to my seat not far from his own side. "Please, take your seat." I bowed my head briefly and did as he said. I glanced at LaCroix from the corner of my eye and caught a twitch of a smile. He _was _pleased with me. The elder who'd directed me to take my seat stood. "Members of Clan Ventrue, as a matter of tradition, I call upon you to vote your opinion of this neonate's entrance into the clan. All those agreed to allow acceptance of Miss Lucas, please raise your hand and state 'aye.'" My hands squeezed together painfully in my lap as a chorus of 'aye's went up, and I had to fight to keep from ducking my head and staring at my hands. Instead, I looked around the table as subtly as I could. The Ventrue around the whole table—the whole _room_—had their hands raised. "Thank you," the elder said. "All those opposed to Miss Lucas's acceptance into the clan, please raise your hand and state 'nay.'" No one spoke up. "Once more, thank you."

As the elder who'd called the vote sat, another rose, looking at me. "Miss Lucas, please recite for the board your lineage of blood," he said. A Ventrue next to him watched me attentively with pen and paper at the ready. As I hadn't been asked to stand, I folded my hands on the table in front of me before beginning to recite. My answers to the _praetor's_ questions were nearly mechanical. I was in. The vote was over, I was in! I'd been accepted! I could finally _truthfully _say that I was part of Clan Ventrue! I dragged my consciousness back to the table where the questions were coming more slowly now. It was almost over.

Finally, the elder at the head of the table stood with a small smile on his face directed at me. "Miss Lucas, childe of Sebastian LaCroix, please allow me to be the first to formally welcome you to Clan Ventrue." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the Kindred in the room began to applaud; and I smiled broadly. When I felt LaCroix's hand gently touch my shoulder, I turned and grinned at him. His smile was more subdued, but I knew this was a big moment for him as well. The elder who'd welcomed me raised a hand, though he still smiled. The din calmed, and he was able to speak again without raising his voice. "In light of this cause for celebration, I move that we adjourn this month's Board meeting."

"I second the motion," said the elder to his right. Shortly thereafter, we were all filtering slowly out of the meeting room. A few of my old mentors stopped me with smiles and words of welcome for me and congratulations for LaCroix.

All of us attending that night moved to a larger ballroom towards the back of the building, nearly hidden from the rest. There were already others gathered there, Ventrue from out of town, friends of the Los Angeles Ventrue who had the obligation to attend the formal Board meeting before joining the celebration. Almost immediately, I spotted Mr. Evans, Sacramento's new prince. He grinned upon seeing me and took my hand tightly in his, raising it to his lips in greeting. "I'm so glad you were able to come," I told him with a grin.

"I wouldn't have missed it," he replied. His eyes shifted from me to LaCroix, who was standing beside me. "Prince LaCroix, a pleasure to finally meet you face to face," he said, offering a handshake to my sire.

LaCroix smiled politely. "The pleasure's mine," he said. "My congratulations on your recent election, Prince Evans."

Evans bowed his head in thanks with a smile. "It was truly a surprise to find I'd been chosen," he said.

LaCroix tutted. "Nonsense. Among the other rabble, they should be _glad _that you decided to relocate to Sacramento."

I hid a smirk. The usual Ventrue mutual-admiration-society bullshit. Evans chuckled. "We shall see how glad they are once the Camarilla is able to settle into a routine of business," he replied. "And then, when the first bump in the road comes along, _that _will show how well I handle the position."

"You'll be perfect," I interjected, touching his arm briefly with a smile. I'd been fond of Victor Evans since meeting him. He was one of the calmer Ventrue who'd taken an interest in my education, rather soft-spoken and patient. My liking of him made his appointment as Sacramento's prince that much better in my mind.

"You're too kind, Miss Lucas," Evans said with a smile. "Well! I should leave you to your other guests. Welcome to the family, miss." He gave me another smile and nodded politely to LaCroix before going back to the rest of the crowd.

LaCroix and I idly wandered through the crowd arm in arm. Breaking the silence between us, he said, "You seem fond of Mr. Evans."

"He's a good man," I replied. "Very intelligent. I was almost disappointed to end my tutelage with him. Sacramento's lucky to have him."

LaCroix cleared his throat before asking, "Considering that, would you take a position with him if he asked you?"

I frowned and looked up at him. "This again?" I asked. He merely looked at me, expressionless. Finally, I sighed and answered, "I can't say that I know for certain. I'd consider it; but at this point, I don't know."

"What makes you hesitate?"

I stopped walking, positioning myself in front of him. "How many times do I have to tell you how I feel about you before you won't have to ask?" I said shortly.

"Without number," he answered, gently touching my cheek. "I merely wonder how long it will take for you to realize your feelings have faded."

I scoffed. "Why would my feelings fade? Especially when I still drink of your blood."

That made him chuckle and drop his hand to his side. "Perhaps I misspoke. I mean, you have yet to realize that your feelings of love or affection should be less like what you remember feeling as a mortal." I frowned and shook my head, making him smile again. "What do you want from me, Natalie?" he asked suddenly.

To my dismay, it was one of those questions that made me actually pay attention to my own thoughts and think twice about them. Such a play by LaCroix never failed to show me that I'd been going down a habitual path in a search for familiar and comfortable. "What do I want from you?" I repeated slowly. "I...want...your respect. I want to be _seen _by you. I want to stand out to you."

"You want to be eye to eye," LaCroix said, eyes narrowing slightly. "On equal ground."

"Aren't we?" I asked. "After all, I've just been formally accepted into the clan. Yes, you're my sire; but that only means that you've more wisdom through experience than I."

He smiled slightly. "Perhaps. But think for a moment. Will you ever be your elder's equal?"

Looking away, I shook my head. "No."

"Am I your elder?"

"Yes."

"Then you want the impossible from me."

Feeling a flash of anger, I locked eyes with him again. "So you'll _never _respect me, is that it?"

"Do something for which I can respect you, and of course I will," he said with a chuckle. "That's all part of gaining one's own _dignitas_, remember? But let me ask you something that illustrates the point I was trying to get to a moment ago. Why did you not say you wanted my love?" Again, I looked away, searching for the answer to that question. This time, though, he made me look back to him. "Because your definition of _love _and what's important has changed, hasn't it?" he prodded.

I swallowed hard and reluctantly nodded. LaCroix raised his chin in a small gesture of smugness and triumph. "What does it mean, though?" I asked softly.

He scoffed. "'What does it mean?' It means that you're realizing yourself as Kindred. As Ventrue. You're placing your focus on more important matters than the matters of the heart that mortals insist on torturing themselves with." Placing both hands on my shoulders, he smiled at me. "It means that we may be able to begin understanding each other better."

"So everything...private...between us... It's going away?"

"Not necessarily," he said with a small, impatient sigh. Narrowing his eyes again, he tilted his head slightly. "You sound so melancholy about this realization..."

I looked down at the ground for a moment before meeting his gaze again. "I suppose you've forgotten how it must have felt to realize your humanity was dying," I said.

He wasn't quite successful in holding back a roll of his eyes. "You're gaining _practicality_, Natalie. Humans let their emotions cloud their practicality all too often." He touched my face again for a second before brushing my hair back off my shoulders. "Now, come. If you want, we'll speak on this more later. For now, this is supposed to be a _celebration_. Put all this aside and show a proper enthusiasm tonight."

I nodded and sighed. As if to confuse me, he lifted my chin with a finger and kissed me softly. _Why put on an act if this isn't how "proper" Ventrue act?_ I couldn't help but think as I linked my arm in his again, pasting a smile on my face as we began to greet guests.

A thought occurred to me roughly an hour later, and I pulled LaCroix aside again. "Nothing was said of your probation," I noted urgently.

He shook his head. "Don't worry about that," he said. "I'd not expected it to be brought up tonight if at all."

"But I thought-"

"Your success may show that I'm a competent sire, but it doesn't erase anything done," he said, looking me in the eye. "If the justicar wants to relax her surveillance of me, she'll let me know. If not..." He shrugged.

"You're okay with that?" I asked, concerned.

He gave me a tight smile. "I don't have any choice unless I were to step down." I nodded, moving close and kissing his cheek. He shook his head again and frowned at me. "I've told you before: don't patronize me like that."

I sighed. "I'm sorry. I...it's reflex to try to make you feel better."

He looked at me for a few moments, still frowning, then sighed. "I'm fine," he said. "Everything's fine."

* * *

When we'd finally excused ourselves from the party a couple hours before sunrise, the limo ride back to the tower felt peaceful in comparison. The constant buzz of chatter, even among Ventrue, had gotten overwhelming, though I couldn't allow myself to show it. I sat back against the leather seat with my eyes closed. Fingertips brushed my hair away from my neck, then cool lips touched my skin; and I chuckled. "You're being contrary," I mumbled, letting myself enjoy the contact.

"Contrary?" LaCroix repeated, his voice soft in my ear.

"I thought we Ventrue were supposed to be 'practical,' not letting ourselves get caught up in such...fleshly pleasures." Opening my eyes, I turned to him. "At least, that's what I took away from our earlier conversation."

LaCroix held up a finger. "I was referring to that which you call 'love.' Pleasure and affection are other things entirely."

"Ah," I breathed in a sigh with a slight smile. "Hence why you were referring to your 'affection' for me a few weeks back rather than your 'love' for me." My smile grew a bit wider before I said, "In a round-about way, of course..." He sat back, still looking at me with an arm laid across the back of my seat. He didn't look happy, per se; but he also wasn't arguing with me or angry with me. This, I'd learned, meant he was staying quiet for the pure fact that he wanted to avoid admitting I was right on this one point. I sat up a little straighter, having begun to slouch in my relaxed position. "Tell me... If these shows of pleasure and affection aren't displays of love, what is the greater motive behind them?" I asked.

"The greater motive..." he repeated slowly, looking at the floor of the vehicle for a moment. "The usual motive. That of strengthening bonds and alliances. Every individual alliance can be strengthened in a different way. Some, through a handshake or sharing a joke as between friends. Others, through a kiss."

My smile was quickly becoming a smirk. "Mmhmm...and so, what sort of 'alliance' would lead to such a drastic situation that you'd lean on sex as a method of strengthening it?"

He frowned, eyebrows knitting together slightly. "You're referring to Layla," he said in a low tone.

"Mmhmm," I confirmed with a nod. "Sex _and _drinking of her..."

"Natalie..." There was a warning in his voice now.

"We never spoke of it," I pointed out, turning towards him more. "And the more I've thought on it over these years, the more I'm convinced that—in spite of what you say—you loved her enough to trust her to not betray that bond. _That's _why you drank from her."

He drew in a breath through clenched teeth before speaking. "Again, you use the wrong word," he sighed. "Not _love_, Natalie. What I felt for her... What she felt..." He shook his head, sitting back and leaning his forehead on the palm of his hand. "There was a connection there," he said finally after a few moments of silence. "We felt...stronger when together. Even more so when sharing each other's blood." His eyes met mine again. "While passion is a dangerous thing, there's nothing that keeps any of us from being affected by it if it's left unchecked. No matter what clan, if one lets it take over, things out of the ordinary will happen. That includes such pleasures that are shadows of what we enjoyed as mortals. But as we are now, when one really takes the time to examine it, such things are really nothing more than the lust for blood and power that we always feel, just amplified in a different way."

My eyes narrowed in thought. "So...as human, sex can be a sharing of pleasure, possibly love or affection. As Kindred, it's different only in the fact that it's a sharing of a sensation of _power_ as well as pleasure. Is that right?"

"So to speak, though it's not always sharing one's power. Take, for instance, those Kindred who seduce a human to feed from them. Are they sharing power with that human?"

"No, but they're _taking _their power from their prey," I pointed out. "So, really, whether the human realizes it or not, they're sharing their power and energy with the Kindred. _Giving _it to them, really."

LaCroix chuckled. "Good point." The limo pulled up to Venture Tower then, and LaCroix sighed. "Why are we discussing this again?" he asked, a weary tone to his voice.

"You kissed me," I reminded him with a smile, "and I was confused as to why."

"Ah, yes..." When we'd gotten out of the vehicle and were walking to the tower's doors, LaCroix gave me a sidelong glance and asked, "Why can't you just take a kiss for merely what it is?"

I laughed. "'A kiss is just a kiss'? Never. Especially from you. There's always going to be an underlying reason."

LaCroix held the door open for me and shook his head with a small smile. "You've been taught too well for my liking," he said lightly.

"So," I said, turning to him with a grin as I took hold of his arm, "what _was _the underlying reason for kissing me?"

He gave me another sideways look as he pressed the call button on the elevator. His silence wasn't broken until we were on our way up to our respective suites. "The scent of your blood," he finally answered.

"Ah... Is that always your reason for kissing me?"

A muscle in his jaw twitched, but he stared straight ahead. "Ultimately..."

I nodded, smiling to myself. "Finally...an explanation as to why you'd even bother kissing me if this is all an act," I said softly. He stayed silent, apparently choosing to not volunteer any other comments. "How much of an act _is _this still?" I asked, looking up at him.

LaCroix swallowed hard. "Well, as you obviously recall, we _both _show an affection for one another," he said. "We've fallen into our parts quite well since this whole thing began... The line of separation between the characters we play and our true selves blurs a bit, doesn't it?"

Taking his hand in mine, I nodded. My other hand went to the back of his neck and pulled him down, but I didn't kiss him. Instead, I rested my forehead on his neck and breathed in. _How come I never noticed the scent of his blood before?_ I wondered as I exhaled. Answering my own question as I breathed him in again, I thought, _Because I didn't know what it was. I just thought it was **him**; and in a way, I was right. _I chuckled as I exhaled again and let him go. "Do you wear that cologne to throw me off your scent?" I joked half-heartedly.

"Did it work?" he asked, as much a joke as my own question.

"For a while," I answered. The elevator came to a stop and opened its doors onto the floor where my suite was located. "Let me drink from you tonight, my prince," I whispered, unable to get his scent out of my mind. He seemed to hesitate, so I pulled him by the hand out of the elevator with me. As we approached my door, I asked again, "Will you allow me to taste you, Prince?"

"It hasn't been that long," he said, his voice hardly above a whisper.

I chuckled, sliding my key card through the reader and hearing the resulting click. "So?"

LaCroix let me pull him inside the suite, then looked around. "You aren't intending to let me leave this morning, are you?" he asked with a slight laugh.

My own laughter answered his. "You're _prince_," I reminded him, pulling him close. "I can't hold you against your will or make you do anything you're unwilling to do."

"Can't you?" he said, nudging my head to the side with his nose. "You've gotten me this far."

"There are no chains holding you here," I said, still chuckling as his lips brushed my skin. "I don't think you'd have come through my door if you didn't want to." He made a small sound that sounded like an affirmative to my ears, but he didn't give any other reply. "But you still haven't answered me," I pointed out, pushing against his shoulders gently to separate us a little. He gave me a slightly agitated look, and I could tell he was already victim to some sort of blood lust. I touched my finger to his lips gently and let my touch slide down to his collar. "I don't feel right drinking from my sire without his permission," I told him softly.

That made him smirk a bit. "You have it."

His words brought a grin to my face. I pulled him into a slow kiss by his tie, taking that opportunity to untie it and unbutton his collar, then two more buttons on his shirt for good measure. Briefly, I wondered what he'd smelled like while mortal, how warm his blood flowed while his heart was still beating. Rather than dwell on that thought, I moved down to the curve of his neck and bit into his flesh without hesitation. My eagerness made him gasp, then I felt his muscles relax under my hands. He tensed again when I began kissing the wound more than suckling it, licking his blood from my lips in between kisses. I alternated my kisses with gentle sucking, a tactic that quickly began to draw quiet moans and whimpers from him. The sounds he made combined with the taste of his blood made me want to keep going, but I forced myself to stop and lick the wound closed. As I brought my head up, his hand came up to land on the spot where the bite had been. He looked at me and licked his own lips, making me grin again. "I didn't take too much, did I?" I asked, trying to sound as innocent as I could.

LaCroix shook his head, licking his lips again as his hand still lightly touched the bite. A small shudder went through him, only given away by the way his eyes fluttered closed for a moment and his jaw twitched ever so slightly. "I should leave," he announced suddenly, regaining a bit of his princely demeanor by standing a bit straighter and buttoning his shirt. I noticed he left the collar unbuttoned, however.

I nodded slowly. "Of course. As I said, I can't _make _you stay..."

He gave me a thin smile and quickly licked his lips again before placing his hands on my shoulders. "Right now, there's nothing that I'd rather do than stay," he said. "But that's a temptation that would be better off waiting for another night."

"I'm a temptation for you?" I asked with a smirk.

"Every time you drink from me, it's harder to resist," he said with a sudden laugh. "_Ma faiblesse..._" I gave him a look of confusion, having never learned his native tongue. "My weakness," he translated, stroking my cheek.

Nodding, I smiled but stepped back a pace. "Do you keep yourself from drinking from me because of Layla or because of pride?" I asked.

His expression clouded. "Neither," he answered after a few moments. "Though you may misinterpret it as the former, I've a feeling. I learned my lesson when I became bound to Layla, and I won't let it happen again. Besides, you're my childe. To allow myself to be bound to you..." He shook his head with a frown.

Before he could say anymore, I said, "I understand." He gave me a questioning look through narrowed eyes. "The master doesn't allow the pet to have control," I explained. "So too with us. You're my sire."

"Control wouldn't change hands through one drink of your blood," LaCroix said, stepping forward and closing the distance between us again.

"No, but you'd forever have a longing for it," I reminded him.

He scoffed. "I've tasted you once. I'm already damned to that longing."

"Then it would only be stronger and _more _tempting now. As I said, I understand why you don't. I just didn't know if there was a deeper reason than old sentiment or strong pride." I stepped back a pace again. "Maybe it's a bit of both."

"I told you. It's neither," he argued. "My reasoning is the product of living with the constant reminder of her in the back of my mind. As long as it has been, her bond over me is rather weak; but it's always there. When she's mentioned or when I see her, it grows, like a drowning man reaching beyond the water's surface one last time, grasping for someone to pull him from the waves." Again, he stepped forward and drew close to me. When he spoke, his voice was low with a dangerous tone underlying in his words. "I'm not normally a forgiving man. When that feeling-that _yearning_—surfaces when I see her, I _want _to forgive her of everything just so I can taste her again. For what? To bind myself to her completely? To sabotage myself again? The blood doesn't care. My fight against this bond is just one more level of my struggle against my own Beast. Why would I want to endure that with _two _women? Especially while you are so close, so...readily available."

"You still love her, then," I said flatly.

He let out a quick exhalation, showing his frustration. "Were you not listening to me earlier? It is not _love_. The hunt for blood and the pleasure it gives is the only pure motivation behind such a longing. In _this _case, it's merely a specific being's blood rather than the normal thirst we feel every night."

"Then why do _I _tempt you so much?" I asked. "When you drank from me, I was mortal. I had no power to entrance you or bind you."

LaCroix shook his head, brow furrowing deeply. "I don't know exactly, though I suspect it's just the temptation of that which I know I can't have."

I chuckled and reached up to touch his cheek lightly. "With all due respect, you're a brat," I said with a smile.

He didn't return the smile. Instead, his frown deepened as he rolled his eyes and stepped away from me. "Good night, Miss Lucas," he said icily. I didn't try to stop him from leaving. After the door closed behind him, I walked over to the couch and sat down, drawing my knees up to my chest. He'd called me his weakness again... The thought weighed heavily in my mind and made me sigh. He was prince. He couldn't _have _weaknesses so distracting hanging around. At least, he _shouldn't_. He'd asked me if I would take a position with Prince Evans if I was asked. Did LaCroix _want _me to leave? It would be a way to get one temptation out of the way. Then things would go back to normal for him, as normal as they'd been since he'd been bound to Layla.

I rested my chin on my knees with another sigh. If I left Los Angeles for LaCroix's sake...well, _could _I even do such a thing? The mere thought made my chest feel tight and made me anxious. I didn't know if I could make that kind of decision on my own. But...if _he _asked me to leave... The same anxious feeling settled in my mind, and my front teeth began to chew my bottom lip lightly. If he asked me to leave, I would because he was giving me a command. But how would I feel after leaving? How would his blood in my veins affect me once he wasn't nearby any longer?

Feeling weary from the night's activities and from the thoughts in my head, I dragged myself off the couch and into the bedroom. Mechanically, I readied myself for bed and climbed between satin sheets, unsure of what to do next. I wanted what was best for my sire, but I still had my own selfishness to satisfy as well. Unfortunately, the two were seeming to be completely opposed.


	32. Chapter 32

I came to a slow realization as time passed. No matter how much praise I was given, it didn't mean that anything _else _would come from said praise. Somehow, in the back of my mind, I'd given myself the impression that I could expect job offers, invitations, or even just communications from my fellow Ventrue, my mentors. Not the case. Once I'd been accepted as one of them, I dropped off the map. No one bothered to keep in touch, I was never told about opportunities available, and I was only invited to events that LaCroix was invited to. Even then, my invitation was only extended due to my relationship with the prince. I spent some time being rather offended by these slights until receiving a stern lecture from LaCroix regarding the fact that I expected things to fall into my lap. My jaw had begun to hurt from clenching my teeth so hard right around the time he proclaimed me to be a Ventrue in name only, to have no ambition to go any further than I had, and to be absolutely worthless.

I left his office that night without saying a word to him. I didn't speak to anyone for three nights, in fact, as I wallowed in depression. It wasn't until I'd run out of bottled blood in my suite that I emerged from the tower. I took a cab to Santa Monica and went straight to The Asylum. For once, Jeanette was nowhere in sight. Surprisingly, I was a little disappointed to _not _see her. It had become so common to run across her during my visits to the beach community that I'd come to expect it. Shrugging, I made my way to the tables upstairs to scope out my prey. I didn't stay in one place long, alternating between the tables upstairs and the dance floor downstairs. Moving about was the best way to avoid drawing attention to myself. More people would notice the girl sitting alone all night than the girl who made an effort to mingle.

After an hour or so, while I was sitting at a table near the staircase, a man came upstairs. When my eyes lit on him, I knew he was the one. Before I could get up and approach him, he looked in my direction and smiled. As he walked my way, I looked him up and down. He was wearing all black, shirt open about halfway down his chest and untucked. His hair was light blond, just messy enough to show he'd spent a considerable amount of time styling it. _You could make some Toreador very happy, little boy, _I thought with a smirk. Without asking permission, he pulled out a chair from under my table and sat next to me. "Hi there," I said with a slight chuckle.

"Hi there," he echoed, grinning and scooting a little closer to me. I could smell him now. If I'd had any doubts about my first instinct, they were wiped clean by the scent of his blood. I caught my bottom lip between my teeth and let my eyes travel over his form again. "You got a name, beautiful?" he asked, flashing his grin at me again.

His strong flirtation made me inwardly roll my eyes, but I just kept smiling. "Kristin," I lied. "What about you?"

"Jimmy," he said, leaning back in his chair and stretching out his legs in front of him. Long legs, I noticed.

I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You don't look like a 'Jimmy,'" I pointed out. "Maybe a 'James'..."

He shrugged. "Whatever you feel comfortable calling out in bed," he said with a wink.

_Ugh. Mongrel,_ I thought as I forced out my most girlish giggle.

Jimmy leaned forward and grabbed the front of my chair's seat, pulling me closer to him until our knees were touching. I laughed a little louder, having been caught off guard. He was stronger than I would have guessed to pull something like that off so smoothly without jerking the chair. His hands moved from the chair to my thighs, gently caressing near my knees. "You don't get out this way much, do you?" he asked, looking straight into my eyes. I noticed that his irises were almost turquoise, and I swallowed back the flash of attraction I felt.

"Not really," I said with a shake of my head. "I'm more of a downtown type of girl."

He nodded, bringing a hand up and stroking my cheek with the back of his hand. "You're so pale..." With a grin, he let his hand drop back to my leg. "You know, back in the old days, pale skin was considered the height of beauty. Not like now where everyone has to get a fake tan to get a second glance." Without warning, he leaned forward and kissed me. I let him, only so I could listen for a heartbeat. There it was, the rhythmic thump that pushed his blood through his veins. The way he was talking, though, was seriously creeping me out. Before I could think about it any further, he pulled back a little. His hand touched my cheek again. "Hey...you okay?" he asked.

I cleared my throat and laughed lightly, leaning back against the chair. "Yeah, yeah, just...you surprised me, that's all," I told him.

A smile touched his lips, and he nodded. "Surprise," he whispered before leaning in and kissing me again, slowly this time, his tongue coaxing my mouth open gently.

_God, where were **you** when I was human?_ part of me asked. _Oh, please don't catch your tongue on my fangs... _another part of me pleaded. As Jimmy stood, he didn't break the kiss, instead placing a hand on either side of my face and guiding me to stand with him. He was taller than I'd thought. I had to tip my head back quite far to keep kissing him on top of standing on tiptoe. My arms wrapped around his neck helped, though. His hands moved down to my hips to help steady me as well. I forgot to breathe for a couple moments after the kiss was finally broken. _Shit...shouldn't be doing this in public..._ I finally remembered.

Before I could say anything, though, Jimmy grinned. "What do you say to taking this somewhere more private?" he asked. I nodded slowly and let him put his arm around me to lead me downstairs.

He took me down an alley to the side of The Asylum, stopping when we were behind the medical clinic to pin me to the brick wall and kiss me again. Again, I lamented that I hadn't been able to meet him before my Embrace. I tried to imagine how my heart would be fluttering to receive such kisses, but I could hardly recall the feeling. I'd grown so used to its stillness by that time. Soon, Jimmy took me by the hand and pulled me through the alleyway and back to the main street. We were almost across from Mercurio's building, but Jimmy began to lead me away from it. Instead, we headed towards Trip's Pawnshop at the end of the street. Again, we cut down an alley, this time beside the pawnshop. Jimmy took a keyring out of his pocket and unlocked a door on the side of the building.

Inside, there was a small entryway and a wooden set of stairs. He led me upstairs and unlocked another door. An apartment, I assumed when I saw the number on the door. Jimmy flashed me a grin over his shoulder as he opened the door and reached in to flip the light switch. _What a dump..._ I thought reflexively. The walls looked grimy, the wallpaper peeling in places. The windows also seemed dirty; and the glass was low-quality and full of flaws, giving the impression that it was warped. There was a small bed in the corner, the covers haphazardly draped over the mattress. After I stepped into the apartment, Jimmy closed the door and put his arms around my waist from behind me. He began kissing my neck and earlobe. I finally made a sound of displeasure when his hand began to travel down towards my groin, and I pulled away. "Jimmy," I said with a chuckle. "Slow down a little, okay? We've got all night, right?" I turned around to face him and smiled.

He smirked and gave a chuckle. "Not _all _night," he said. "You need a little time to get back downtown before the sun comes up."

_Red flag. **Big** fucking red flag._ I laughed uneasily and sat on the edge of the bed. "Why would you say that? Rush hour?"

He didn't answer me immediately. Instead, he concentrated on unbuttoning his shirt and walking towards me, staring me down as he put a knee beside me on the bed. I backed up until my back was against the wall, and he kept coming. He took off his shirt and tossed it into the corner, resting on his hands and knees to look up at me. Even with my back pressed against the wall as much as possible, his face was close enough for me to feel the heat of his breath on my breasts through the fabric of my shirt. Finally, he answered me by shaking his head with a smile. "I know what you are," he whispered.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said with a shake of my head.

"Yeah. You do." He tilted his head back and moved forward just enough to kiss me again. I wanted to pull away, but he felt and tasted so good that I had no real will to do so. Soon, we were so caught up in our kiss that he was sitting up on his knees with his hands under my shirt; and I was holding him tightly against me, running my fingers over his smooth back. Breathlessly, he pulled away finally. "Vampire," he said simply. I didn't answer, looking into his eyes with my own narrowed glare. "I used to be a ghoul," he said. "I know a vamp when I see one."

"Whose?" I breathed, relaxing a little.

Jimmy shook his head and ran a light touch down my lower spine, making me arch against him in reflex from the ticklish sensation. "She's dead. Got on Nines's bad side. Found herself with a gun in her mouth." His hands traveled up my torso, finally pulling my shirt off over my head. "You want my blood, don't you?" he asked, whispering straight into my ear. My eyes closed, I nodded. "Only if I get yours," he said, hands working at the clasp of my bra.

"Wait, what?" I asked, snapping out of the trance I'd been under and putting a hand on his chest to push him back a little.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Don't worry, I don't wanna _be _a vampire," he said. "I just want to be someone's ghoul again. It was fucking incredible. You're even better than Cherise was."

"Wait, wait, Jimmy..." I pushed him a little further back but kept my hands on his shoulders. _Lovely, muscular, bronze, broad shoulders..._ Shaking myself back to earth again, I said, "Look, I don't _want _a ghoul right now. I've...it...I've been there. I don't want someone linked to me like that."

Jimmy frowned. "Look, you either want my blood; or you don't. My price is some of yours in return. I don't give it away. Not even to you."

I licked my lips as I studied his face. He looked young. Then again, who knew how long he'd been a ghoul? Hell, he may have been a ghoul longer than I'd been Kindred. "Jimmy, yes, you're...you seem...exquisite. And yes, I came here with the expectation to drink from you. If you want, I'll give you that pleasure as well as any other pleasures of the flesh I can offer; but my blood isn't to touch your lips."

He pursed his lips and shook his head after a moment. "Nah. No, you're not getting a _fuckin'_ thing from me unless I get your blood in return," he said stubbornly. "No fucking, no blood, _nothin'_." With that, he climbed off the bed and walked backwards, crossing his arms over his chest.

We stared at each other for several minutes. Then I had an idea. "What clan was she?" I asked gently.

Jimmy frowned, eyes narrowing slightly. "Brujah."

I smiled slowly, scooting to the edge of the bed, leaning forward just enough to draw his eyes down to my cleavage. "So...you've never tasted _Ventrue_..." His gaze flickered up to mine just long enough to shake his head. "Have you ever _thought _of how a Ventrue like me would taste in comparison?" I asked, slowly getting to my feet. As I walked towards him, I exaggerated my hips' motion. "There's so much _power _there. The _first _clan. The clan of _kings_, Jimmy." I looked up into his eyes and placed a hand flat against his chest, directly over his heart. "_James._" His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, looking straight into my eyes finally. "No wonder you want my blood so badly," I said breathily.

Jimmy's hands landed lightly on my hips. "Let me have you," he said, a pleading tone to his voice.

I grinned. "Come back to the bed with me," I whispered. "We'll see what happens." He hesitated, but I noticed that he merely stayed silent rather than declining outright. I reached up and ran a hand through his hair. When I was sure I had good eye contact with him, I laced my next words with a light Domination. "Come with me, James." This time, he didn't hesitate and let me draw him back to the bed. I made sure he laid down first, letting me straddle him as I leaned down to kiss him. That kiss was my mistake, as it made me reconsider my plan of biting him, drawing him to unconsciousness, and leaving. Instead, I stayed. I lowered my body onto him fully, losing myself in our kiss again. This time, his hands were successful in removing my bra as well as the rest of our clothing.

The hours dragged on, and I finally drank my fill of him as I slowly moved on top of him, drawing low moans that grew loud when my fangs pierced his flesh. I drank until his heartbeat became slow and weak. When I pulled back and looked at him, he was pale and clearly unconscious but alive. My hand brushed his hair from his forehead, and I heard LaCroix's voice in my head:_ "The hunt for blood and the pleasure it gives is the only pure motivation behind such a longing."_

My own thirst sated, I realized how right he was. I no longer had any interest in Jimmy. Not his kiss, not the sex we'd had all night, nothing at all. I leaned forward and kissed his cheek gently. "Sorry, Jimmy," I whispered, climbing off the bed and quietly putting on my clothes. I checked the time on my cell phone before leaving. I had a couple hours before sunrise, plenty of time to get back to the tower. As I left the apartment, however, I noticed the email icon on my phone's screen was lit. I hadn't heard the notification in the midst of everything.

_Subject: Business_

_From: LaCroix_

_I've not seen you recently. Keeping yourself busy, I hope, since you're not in your suite. Regardless, I would like to speak with you tonight. Come to my office when you return. - SL_

I read the email a few times as a knot of guilt grew in my abdomen. Finally, though, I scoffed and shoved the phone back into my pocket. There was no reason to feel guilty. I repeated that to myself as I walked to where a cab was always parked outside The Asylum. On the ride back downtown, I kept trying to convince myself. I'd not betrayed LaCroix. We were essentially nothing to one another, really. I did what I had to in order to feed. _No...no, I totally went above and beyond that. I should have left when I'd originally planned to._

When the car pulled up to the tower, I paid the driver and dragged myself out of the backseat. Up to the penthouse I went, and I gave LaCroix a small smile when I entered his office. "I see you checked your email," he said, looking up at me from behind his desk. "_Finally_."

I cleared my throat and nodded. "I was a little busy," I said. "Hunting," I added before he could ask.

LaCroix raised an eyebrow. "_All _night?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but my voice wouldn't cooperate. I coughed, then tried again. "He was...a little stubborn," I answered finally with a weak chuckle.

"Too shy to give in to your feminine wiles so easily, perhaps?" LaCroix said, rolling his eyes as he rose from his chair.

"Quite the opposite," I said with another small laugh. "But he was insistent on tasting _my _blood as well, so I had to try to talk him out of it." LaCroix's head snapped up, his piercing gaze wordlessly demanding an explanation. "He used to be a ghoul," I said quickly. "His regent was killed by Nines, from what he told me."

LaCroix's eyes narrowed, and he came out from behind his desk. "Did he mention his regent's name?" he asked, words clipped.

"Cherise," I answered.

The prince sighed, a hand going to squeeze the bridge of his nose for a moment. "Where was this?" he asked.

"Santa Monica. He was at The Asylum, and we went to his apartment above the pawnshop."

"The pawnshop on Main Street?" I nodded. "Miss Lucas, did you even stop to think about the fact that there is a _mortal _out there who knows of our existence?"

"He was a ghoul!" I said. "I figured that fact really doesn't make him any more of a risk to the Masquerade than any other ghoul! After all, it's not as if his regent died at his hand!"

Again, LaCroix sighed. He walked over to me, eyes locked on mine. "While a mortal is a ghoul, his regent can at least _control _him. After the regent is gone, there is no such control. He is a _great _risk to the Masquerade." He suddenly quieted, eyes narrowing as he studied my face. Then, with a roll of his eyes, he turned and walked over to the fireplace. "But instead of considering that, you shared a bed with him and drank your fill, is that right?"

My eyes dropped to the wood flooring. "Yes, sir."

I heard the prince groan quietly. "My childe...rutting with a mortal to get a few drops of blood. Wouldn't that technically be considered prostitution?" He glared at me over his shoulder.

I brought my head up, insulted. "I'm to deny myself _all _pleasure due to my state of being? And I'll have you know that his blood tasted _amazing_."

"_So _glad to hear it," LaCroix said, turning and walking back towards me, hands clasped behind his back. "Especially since you'd rather have a taste of that than consider your own kind's well-being as a whole!"

"You're not being fair!" I argued. "He _wants _to be a ghoul again, anyway! He doesn't want to tell anyone about us!"

That made LaCroix pause. "You didn't..."

I shook my head. "No. He didn't taste a drop from me."

LaCroix nodded slowly. "At least your judgment wasn't _completely _impaired with lust."

I clenched my teeth angrily. "It was the best way to get his blood. It was pleasure for the both of us. What is so _wrong _with that?"

"Was there, at any time, a way for you to drink from him and leave with_out_ sleeping with him?"

My first instinct was to look away, but I fought it. I wouldn't give him that satisfaction. "Yes."

He pointed a finger at me. "Then I'm right. You gave in to whatever lust you felt rather than taking what you needed and nothing more."

"So? Am I supposed to be ashamed?" I asked, stepping close to him and batting his finger away. "Don't pretend you've never given in to whatever lust or passion you may have felt at a particular moment. I know better than to believe that. You've _told _me otherwise. You've no right to point fingers at me when you're no better."

"You're going to continue to use that as your trump card every time now, aren't you?" he accused, eyes flashing angrily. "I've paid for my weakness, my _mistakes_, over and over again; and I _continue _to pay for them just by knowing her _name_. I'm trying to keep you from going down the same path I did. I'm trying to _save _you from that. Yet you just use the knowledge of my mistakes against me, as excuses to act out and turn it on me, acting as if that is the example I set for you when that was not my intent _at all_."

Silence fell between us, and I finally couldn't look him in the eyes anymore. I tried to tell myself that he was just manipulating me, saying anything he could to make _him _look like the victim; but how could I convince myself of that when everything he was saying was true? I may not have thought it at the time; but while trying to rid myself of my guilt on the ride home, it had been in the darkest corner of my mind that LaCroix had done the same once, using that as my reassurance that he couldn't be too upset with me. Still without looking at him, I said, "So what do we do about him?"

"We have a few options," LaCroix said, his voice softer now as well. "He can be killed, which is easiest but also the hardest to cover up. He can be made into a ghoul, which is what you're saying he wants, though I wouldn't recommend that you take on a ghoul just yet. Or..." His pausing made me look up at him, and I saw him frowning in thought as he looked across the room. After a moment, he frowned a little deeper and gave a shake of his head, whispering, "No."

"What?" I couldn't help but ask.

"You haven't built the resources to start your own herd," LaCroix said with a dismissive wave of his hand as he turned away and slowly walked to the window.

"I need a _job _to build resources," I said pointedly. The idea of building my own herd, though...intriguing.

LaCroix looked at me with a bored expression. "_That_, Miss Lucas, is your _own _problem to figure out."

I scoffed. "What, should I go around to the local eateries and fill out job applications like all the kine? Is that what you're telling me?" LaCroix's expression shifted a little, from merely bored to irritated. "You own the biggest foundation in the city, Prince. You have _no_ positions open for your own childe?"

"Proprietary treatment," LaCroix said slowly. "Is that what you're asking for?"

I smiled sweetly and looked up at him through my eyelashes. "Just this once."

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "'Just this once'..." he repeated. "And making you my ghoul rather than killing you wasn't proprietary treatment?"

I pouted. "Sure it was, but that was for _Mercurio_, not me. I hadn't gained any favor with you when you decided to do that."

"Hm." LaCroix walked back to his desk and sat in his chair. He leaned an elbow on the armrest and thoughtfully rubbed a hand over his chin. "Fine then. It will give you a place to start as well as a legitimate paycheck rather than an allowance or debt."

I grinned and rushed over to his desk to hug him, but he shrugged me off as he rose from his seat again. "What do you want me to do?" I asked, watching him walk to one of his filing cabinets.

He didn't answer until after he'd found the paper he was looking for and closed the drawer. "Fill this out," he instructed, handing the form to me.

It was a regular tax form, how much I wanted withheld from each paycheck and whatnot. I glanced at him and chuckled. "I meant, what will my _job _be?"

Sitting at his desk again, he frowned at his computer and concentrated on typing something for a moment. Finally, he answered, "My personal assistant. You'll gather messages, keep track of my schedule, run errands, accept and turn away guests..." He gestured in the air with a hand. "Other things of that sort." A few keystrokes later, I heard the printer next to the file cabinet come to life. LaCroix got up to retrieve what he'd been printing, and I took the opportunity to peek at his screen to see what it was. "Your official position offer letter, Miss Lucas," he said from across the room before I'd been able to read far.

"Oh," I said, picking up a pen from his desk's surface to fill out the form in my hand. As soon as I'd finished and signed the document, LaCroix gave me the offer letter to sign as well. When I handed that back to him, he sat down again at the computer. He closed the window with the offer letter and seemed to be going through a folder of previously prepared documents. I leaned a hip against his desk and asked, "Do you often do direct hiring yourself?"

"Not recently," he said. "The only staff I hire myself are those Kindred in my employ. The rest, I leave to their discretion."

"I thought the day crew here was made up of your ghouls," I said, confused.

"Not at all." He looked up at me from the corner of his eye. "You of all people should know I don't keep many ghouls. Especially compared to most Ventrue..."

"So you don't keep your own herd, then..."

LaCroix sighed. "Miss Lucas, how long have you been with me?"

"Several years."

"And you're only _now _thinking about this?" He rolled his eyes and sighed again. "No. I don't. My employees keep a small herd for me in case of emergency, but my vintner sells blood to me from her _own _herds."

I raised my eyebrows, a little impressed. "You know, I never even thought about the possibility of that being lucrative. I suppose it's as much like kine farmers as anything could be for Kindred..."

"Precisely." Again, the printer hummed as it produced another document. LaCroix got up again but waved me off with his hand. "Go back to your suite for the evening. We'll complete the paperwork tomorrow as well as covering the details of your duties. Be sure to bring your pertinent identification when you come up tomorrow evening."

"Pertinent ID being..."

He shot me an annoyed glare. "Driver's license, tax identification number card, passport, whatever you have."

I couldn't help but giggle. "'Tax identification...' You mean social security number?"

He was frowning at the papers he had and shook his head while rubbing his forehead with one hand. "Uh, yes, whatever."

"_How _long have you been in this country?" I teased, still giggling. LaCroix looked up, seeming thoroughly unamused; and I could see he was tired due to the oncoming sunrise and from working all night. I knew that was the source of my easily being able to fluster him, but I couldn't help myself. "Can I see your green card, sir?" I said, beginning to laugh in earnest now.

"Oh, for the love of..." LaCroix sighed, shoulders slumping slightly as he laid the paperwork he was holding on the desk.

Regaining a bit of composure, I tilted my head curiously. "Hey, how _does _that work with you, anyway? I mean, the whole...immigration thing."

"The Camarilla takes good care of us when need be," he replied, shuffling through the papers and slowly taking his seat again.

I nodded. "Vampiric fingers in all aspects of kine society, I see..."

"You figured any less?" LaCroix said, looking up at me with a raised eyebrow.

I chuckled and shook my head. "I suppose not. Good night, Prince."

"Until tomorrow, Miss Lucas."


	33. Chapter 33

My official employment with LaCroix progressed much as one might expect it to. I knew most of my duties already. How could I not when I already spent most of my time around him? At the beginning of the evening, he always gave me time to feed; and if I couldn't find suitable prey, he took the cost of some bottled blood from his supply out of my pay. I rarely got the chance to sit much though my position was technically a "desk job." He constantly called me into his office to fetch something or take some paperwork off his hands or add something to his schedule. Occasionally, I'd receive a call from the front desk to inform me of a visitor for LaCroix. If he hadn't told me that he was expecting the visitor, I'd go down and meet them myself to determine if the visitor was Kindred or kine. If the former, I'd speak with them privately to look into the nature of their visit and make a decision as to whether or not it was worth bothering LaCroix to see if he wanted to have them sent up. If the visitor was kine, I could always deal with them myself. The only kine visitors LaCroix saw were the ones whom he invited personally. The rest could be eventually turned away, discouraged by Sebastian LaCroix's impossibly busy schedule. No one wanted to be on a waiting list for two months.

As much of a workaholic as LaCroix was, though, he _did _give me a night off from time to time. They weren't set, and they rarely fell back to back, but he'd let me have my own leisure time if his schedule wasn't incredibly demanding. A couple months after my employment officially started, I decided to visit Mercurio. It had been a long while since I'd seen him, and I realized that I missed him. He seemed surprised yet pleased to see me when I showed up at his door. He invited me in with a smile, then looked a little awkward. "What's the matter?" I asked as I sat down on his couch.

He gave a small smile, shrugging and spreading his hands open in a gesture of surrender. "I...it's been a long time, Nat," he said apologetically.

"Yeah. So?"

Mercurio sighed and sat down next to me. "I've been around a lot of vampires in my time," he said softly. "I know what they're like. And I know what you _were _like before you became one. I know it'd only be natural if you've changed, but..." He shrugged again, looking down at the floor.

His words stung for some reason. "I'm still just Nat, Mercurio," I said, trying to reassure him.

He chuckled. "You spend a few years around Ventrue after Ventrue, and you expect me to believe you're still the same as ever..."

"No, not exactly," I said with a frown. "But I'm not turning into LaCroix, if that's what you're worried about." He laughed again, the sound making me smile. I moved closer to him on the couch and put an arm around his shoulders, leaning against him. "Why do you think I came _here_? I wanted to get away from all that and just loosen up for a bit."

Mercurio looked at me with a smile. He seemed a little more relaxed. After a moment, he turned and gave me a hug. The action made my smile wider, and I hugged him tightly. In the back of my mind, I realized just how much I'd missed this warmth. When he pulled back, Mercurio was still smiling at me. "I know you can't, but do you mind if I get a drink?" he asked with an apologetic shrug.

I laughed and shook my head. "Not at all, go ahead."

He patted my knee affectionately before getting up and going into the kitchen. While out of sight, he called to me, "So how're things with you and LaCroix anyway?"

I shrugged, settling back against the couch and getting comfortable. "Same as always. Except for the fact that I'm his 'personal assistant' now. Getting paid for the shit I always did."

Mercurio chuckled. "That's good, I guess. But I meant your, eh...relationship?"

Looking at the rug, I slouched down on the couch, stretching my legs out in front of me. "There isn't any relationship, remember?" I replied.

"Please. What happened, you get to know him too well or something?" Mercurio came out of the kitchen and sat down next to me again.

I chuckled at his joking jab at LaCroix. "No, just...I dunno. Nothing's really changed. He wants my blood, I want his, he can't drink mine because of the whole fucking bond thing, I still drink his sometimes, but..." I shrugged again. "Just a game."

Mercurio shook his head and set his glass down on an end table. "I still don't believe you."

I gave him an annoyed sideways glance. "What do you want me to say?"

"I remember you seemed pretty devoted to him way back when."

"Still am," I mumbled, one of my fingers idly scratching at the material of my jeans. We were both silent for a few minutes, but I could feel his eyes on me the whole time. "What do you want me to say?" I asked again, throwing up my hands in frustration. "I mean, there's never been any chance, even less now that I'm Kindred."

"Seems like your chances would get better in that case," Mercurio pointed out.

"You sound like you _want _me with LaCroix," I said, looking at him.

Mercurio shrugged. "I thought that's what _you _wanted."

I sighed, putting a hand over my eyes. "I don't know. I don't know what I want. I just..." I sighed again, the expulsion of breath turning into a low groan this time.

"So I guess he's still all business about it, huh?" Mercurio asked. I gave a half nod, then rethought the action and shrugged. Mercurio laughed lightly. "What's _that _supposed to mean?"

"A while back...I dunno, I... It doesn't really come up at all, but... There was this one time when he told me that affection and love and all that is weakness in his mind." I paused, then looked at Mercurio. "Then he said that we're each other's weakness." Mercurio's eyes widened, and he blinked in surprise. I nodded, confirming that he was feeling the same level of surprise as I had. "He's called me his weakness since then, too. I mean, that was a while back, but..." I shrugged, sitting up and leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees.

Mercurio gave a low whistle and leaned forward in a position similar to mine. "Sounds like he's got it bad," he said softly. "I mean, the guy's cold as ice; and now you're tellin' me he's getting all..._honest _with you. Showing and _admitting _weakness..." He shook his head. "Damn..."

I shook my head as well and frowned. "No. I mean, he _did_, but I think he says things like that to manipulate me, you know? Gets my hopes up so I'll stick with him or something."

"He doesn't need to do that. You're bound to him. He doesn't need to give you fancy words to make you stay." I nodded at his words. After another moment of silence, Mercurio asked softly, "So how do you feel about _him _then?"

I shrugged, letting my head hang a bit. "I don't know anymore," I groaned. "He's tried to tell me that what I feel for him isn't love, but just some kind of affection mixed with blood lust."

"Bullshit," Mercurio said with a laugh, making me laugh in turn.

"Bullshit or not, I have no idea," I said honestly, looking at my grandfather. "I've thought about leaving, you know? 'Cause he wants my blood so badly and has _admitted _it but can't. Just seems like it'd be better for _him _if I wasn't around. But..."

"You're attached," Mercurio finished for me, and I nodded. "Well, what're you attached _to_?" Mercurio asked, leaning back in his seat and reaching for his glass. "I mean, you think you would have stuck around this long without the blood's influence? Or if he hadn't turned you?"

I stayed silent for a long while to think about that. My mind went to the taste of LaCroix's blood first, of course. But digging beyond that, to his touch and kisses...no, that was only sexual and electricity between us. Not bad, but not enough to keep me around this long on its own. Beyond that... I chuckled to myself. I couldn't believe it had nearly been five years since I'd been human. But when I _tried _to think about it and remember, _really_ remember, it was easy to finally remember my fluttering heart when cool fingers touched my cheek, silvery eyes smiling at me for just a moment. _But what happened to that?_ I wondered, answering myself almost immediately. _I became Ventrue. Or, rather, I began pushing myself to fit in with Ventrue. Inside, I'm still Nat. I just feel like I can't show him that anymore, like I'd disappoint him._ I sighed, sitting up straight and staring at the door in front of me in thought. My front teeth caught my bottom lip and gently chewed it as I thought. Finally, I looked at Mercurio. "Am I different?" I asked him abruptly.

He gave me a confused look, taking a drink from his glass and setting it down before answering. "No. No, I don't think so. I think you proved my initial fear wrong." He smiled and gave a nod. His head tipped to the side curiously. "Why?"

"I am," I said, looking back to the door, staring off into space. "I mean, I've made him think I am. When I'm around him—around _them_—I'm just like them. I'm through and through Ventrue. When I'm here, I relax and can be myself again. But...which is _me_?"

Mercurio chuckled. "Great, a vamp with an identity crisis," he joked lightly, taking hold of my arm and pulling me against him. I curled up with my head against his chest and my arms around his waist, letting him stroke my hair and back soothingly. "You just said that you can be _yourself _when you're with me," he pointed out. "I think that means you believe that _this _is still the real you. You do what you gotta do to keep yourself accepted in the Ventrue circles, but you still know who Nat Lucas is."

I nodded slowly. "I'm not sure which I am around _him_, though... Who's his weakness? Me or Ventrue-me?"

"How different does he act around you compared to before you were a vampire?"

I shrugged. "Not much, really," I answered. "I mean...yeah, not really very different at all. I surprise him sometimes with things I've learned that I probably wouldn't have figured out if it wasn't for my training and all that shit, but..." I chuckled, shaking my head and cuddling closer to Mercurio. "God, listen to me. If I swear around LaCroix, I get the nastiest looks."

Mercurio laughed. "Get it all out here, then, I guess." I laughed in earnest at that. Mercurio kissed the top of my head lightly. "But isn't that kinda your answer right there? Your old self comes back so naturally. Seems like you've been able to hold on to yourself pretty well."

"Because I swear like a sailor when I get away from Ventrue-land?" I asked, still chuckling. As Mercurio laughed again, I realized that, inwardly, I _did _still sound like "myself" from time to time. It came back. Old habits, I'd always thought. Maybe more than that? "I never answered your question," I mumbled against his chest. "And yeah, I would have stuck around, as long as I could keep making him smile sometimes."

Mercurio chuckled, giving me a small squeeze. "_That _sounds like my hopeless romantic Nat. Not an easy thing to do, though."

I shrugged, sitting up a bit to put my head on Mercurio's shoulder instead. "It's not so hard if I do something he wants me to do or say the right thing," I said.

"But does he appreciate _you _or just the things you do and say?" Mercurio asked seriously.

I shrugged again. "I guess I haven't cared too much to really notice lately."

"If there's one thing that vampires are good at, it's takin' advantage of people," he said. "Even their own kind. You're too good for that, Nat. If you wanna be with him, you'll be happier if you can make him just be glad you're around."

I scoffed. "Yeah, like that's gonna happen."

"Well, if you're his _weakness_...maybe you gotta test how weak he is without you."

I sat up and looked at Mercurio. "You're saying I should leave?" I asked quietly.

"Maybe find yourself something to do out of town for a while. A few months, maybe. Long enough."

"Make him realize that life's better with me around, you mean..."

"And if he doesn't..." Mercurio shrugged.

"If he doesn't, I won't be surprised; but I also won't be so easily strung along after I come back," I said, a note of bitterness in my voice.

"It was just a thought," Mercurio said.

I laughed. "What, you put that thought in my head, and then backpedal? That's not fair!"

He grinned. "I'm just...givin' a suggestion. That's all."

I nodded. "You might have a good idea. And I _do _happen to have someone I might be able to call..."

* * *

Two nights later, I ran a little over my usual time for feeding. I couldn't help it; I was finishing my arrangements for my stay in Sacramento. I'd called Prince Evans and asked if he needed any help. He sounded grateful for the offer, saying that I was welcome to spend a couple months with him. At the same time, however, he'd sounded confused, asking if I was sure that Prince LaCroix was all right with it. I reassured him that everything would be fine, that Prince LaCroix would be thrilled to let his childe help further secure a new Camarilla territory. Of course, I had no way of knowing whether or not he'd be "thrilled." I knew he'd be upset with my being late, but it couldn't be that big of a deal. Then, I'd tell him of my plan and ask for a leave of absence from work for a couple months. No big deal. He couldn't command me to stay, right?

I opened the door to his office and stopped in my tracks. LaCroix was sitting at the small, round table near the fireplace; and seated across from him was Layla, looking over her shoulder at me with a thin smile on her face. Breaking myself out of my frozen state, I cleared my throat and tried to not grip the door handle too tightly for fear of breaking it. "My apologies. I wasn't aware there was anyone here," I choked out. "I didn't mean to interrupt." I was about to back out of the office, then remembered that I _technically _still had my place as LaCroix's "lover" as far as Layla was concerned. I raised my head and smiled slightly. "Sebastian, dear, when you have a moment, please come see me. I need to talk to you." His eyes twitched slightly, but he nodded. I looked at Layla and returned her thin smile with a nod. "Miss Neubauer, good to see you."

To my surprise, she rose from her seat. "And you, Miss Lucas. But please, don't go on my account. I was just leaving anyway."

"I hope my interruption didn't force your decision to leave," I said carefully.

Her smile widened slightly. "No, not at all. Mere coincidence, I assure you." She looked over to LaCroix and smiled as he stood from his own chair. "Sebastian, I'm so glad you had time to sit and talk for a few moments. Thank you."

He nodded and tried to smile. "Of course." He took the hand that Layla offered him and kissed the back of it in true Ventrue style; but she pulled him into a quick, loose hug before letting go of his hand.

"Perhaps the three of us sometime..." Layla started, then she looked at me, and I could swear there was an ounce of sadness in her expression. "Then again, that may be a little awkward, I suppose." My own eyes narrowed suspiciously, and I inwardly wished she would just leave so I could find out from LaCroix what the hell she was doing in his office. "Well...good night, then, Miss Lucas...Sebastian."

"Good night, Layla," he said softly.

"Miss Neubauer," I answered coldly as she pushed past me to leave. I looked up at LaCroix, but he immediately turned away and began to walk back to his desk. "Well...that...was...definitely a _surprise_," I said with a slight laugh.

"Where were you?" he asked, passing his desk and looking out the window instead.

"Taking care of some business, which is what I came in here to talk to you about. But now, it seems, there are more _interesting _things we can talk about instead." I was surprised by how seething angry I was. I didn't even know what I was angry _at_. It wasn't as if I'd found him in her arms. Maybe it was the fact that his entire demeanor seemed different.

"If you'd been at your desk where you were _supposed _to be, she never would have been here," LaCroix said, his voice still as low as it had been when he'd bid Layla good night.

"I ran late," I snapped. "What did she want? Was she just renewing her hold over you with her presence? Trying to convince you to give her a second chance after all these years? Proclaiming her undying-"

"Enough." The word was softly spoken, and that alone was enough to make me fall silent. The fact that he didn't yell or turn to glare at me or even look at me made me worry.

"Why was she here?" I asked when the silence between us became too much to bear.

LaCroix sighed, and I noticed that he was leaning against the window frame instead of standing in front of it with his hands behind his back as usual. "You were right," he said, his hands going to the pockets of his coat. "Over these years since I left Layla, I've convinced myself otherwise; but you were absolutely right. And the wretched woman just _had _to come back here and remind me of it." His voice was starting to rise now, and his anger actually was calming to me. Things were getting back to normal now. He pushed himself away from the window and stalked to his desk, opening a drawer. His other hand came out of his pocket, and he frowned deeply at something in his palm. His lips pressed together tightly as he slammed the drawer shut again and placed the object in his other hand on the desk. He looked at it for a while, then looked up at me, eyes flashing and jaw tight. "I _loved _her, Natalie," he said in a low growl. "I'd convinced myself that _love _was never involved, that I had never..." He flattened his hands on his desk, leaning on the surface with his head down.

Swallowing hard, I stepped up to the desk and finally saw what he'd taken out of his pocket. A gold ring, a large diamond the centerpiece with two rubies on either side of it. I picked it up and looked at it more closely. "This is what she came for?" I asked.

"What she came to give _back_," he clarified. "My _mother's_ ring."

My jaw dropped, and I looked at him in shock. "I wouldn't have expected you to keep something from your mortal life, especially with such familial connections."

Clenching his jaw angrily, he snatched the ring back from me. "I was in denial after my Embrace. My sire _knew _I'd been courting someone while living with him and working for him. Yet he took all chance of that away from me with his Embrace. I'd had _this _in my pocket that night because I was to see her the next morning." He held up the ring again. "My mother had given it to me when I graduated from the academy. She told me all I needed was a good woman to make me a home to lord over." He frowned deeply at the ring and shook his head slowly. "Instead, I got damned to darkness. But I kept _this _in a feeble attempt to remind myself of my family, my _humanity_. Soon thereafter, during my _Agoge_, I was so entrenched in work, I forgot I even had it. I ran across it in my belongings now and then, usually while relocating to a new territory for some venture or another, but..." His voice trailed off as he continued to look at the ring.

"Why did Layla have it, then?" I asked, trying to be gentle but needing my curiosity satisfied.

LaCroix scoffed. "Isn't it obvious after all I've already said?" he snapped. "We'd made plans to marry!" He scoffed again, this time beginning to laugh. "Can you imagine? If I'd allowed myself to be bound to her by blood _and _marriage?" He slapped the ring down against the desk and ran a hand through his hair wearily. "If I hadn't found out..."

"It broke your heart to leave her, then, didn't it?" I asked softly. "More than just because of the bond."

LaCroix sighed and pulled his chair over, sitting down heavily. "Why else would I have programmed myself to say there was nothing between us? More denial."

"And now? When you see her?" I asked. "Do you still love her?"

He shook his head, still staring at the ring. "No. I only regret things couldn't have turned out differently."

I smiled sadly. "Which tells me that you're still in denial when you say no. You wish things could have worked out between you because you love her."

"_No_," he insisted, sitting forward and leaning on the desk, finally looking at me. "I wish things could have worked out so we wouldn't have to deal with this damned bond we placed on each other. It's a bother for both of us."

I chuckled at his understatement. "Why did she come to give it back after all this time?" I asked, gesturing to the ring.

That question made him look at the ring with a weary expression. "She said I should give it to you." He looked up at me as if to gauge my reaction.

"To me," I repeated flatly. "She essentially told you to propose to me..."

"More or less," LaCroix responded, sitting back in his chair and lacing his fingers over his stomach.

My mind refused to process this information, so I changed the subject slightly. "Why the change of heart, do you think?" I asked. "I thought she despised you. And _me_, for that matter."

"I don't know," he said. "I think that's what bothers me _most _about this. I can't begin to figure out what her motive is behind this. Why in the _world _would she want you and me to get married if she's completely bound to me?"

"She wants you to be happy, maybe?" I offered. "She's still in love and just wants your happiness; and she thinks that you're happiest with your lover, even if it's not her?"

LaCroix gave me a sideways glance. He cleared his throat and got up from his chair to walk back to the window again. "What was it you wanted to discuss?"

I was caught off guard by the sudden change of subject and fumbled with my thoughts before remembering what I'd come for. "I...I need a...I'm going to be gone for a couple months."

LaCroix turned slowly to look at me, his eyes narrowed in confusion. "A couple of months?"

I nodded. "Prince Evans needs my help. It's temporary," I added quickly. "He just wants me to fill a couple...empty positions until he can fill them with locals. He said that things would run more smoothly if he had a little extra help, so..." I shrugged, letting my voice trail off.

"So you came to ask my permission, then?" LaCroix asked dryly.

"I came to ask for a leave of absence from my employer," I corrected.

"Ah. You _do _know I have the right to _decline _such a request based on the fact that I may need you more than Prince Evans..."

My eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm aware, though to deny such a request out of pure _spite _is rather tasteless for you, Prince."

To my surprise, LaCroix laughed lightly. "True. When do you leave?"

I felt as if the prince was spinning me in circles, pushing me towards anger, then brushing away the cause of my anger and giving me what I wanted. "Uh, tomorrow."

"So soon? Is Sacramento having such an emergency that he needs you so immediately?"

I shook my head. "Not an emergency, really. He just could use the help as soon as possible."

"Well, at least he'll be receiving a competent assistant," LaCroix said with a smile. "I'll get the paperwork done for our side. You should probably spend tonight preparing to leave, yes?"

My eyes narrowed with suspicion this time. "You're taking this better than I expected, especially after finding you with Layla," I pointed out.

"Well, you _do _intend to come back, do you not?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then why would I have reason to take your request badly?"

I stayed quiet, thinking over his question. Something was still wrong, though. He was too cheerful all of a sudden. Too gracious. Or maybe he _was _trying to get rid of me, even for a short period of time. Getting me out of his hair and consciousness. Or maybe this was a chance for him to reconnect with Layla. I gritted my teeth and shoved the last possibility out of my mind. The ring on the desk caught my eye again, and I forced another change in subject. "What did you tell her when she suggested giving me the ring?" I asked.

I'd caught him off guard just as he had done to me earlier with his own sudden change of subject. After a few seconds of confused silence, he cleared his throat and straightened his coat. "I told her that the subject of marriage hadn't come up between us as of this time."

I nodded. A moment of silence passed, and I shook my head. "We're not getting married," I stated firmly.

"Definitely not," LaCroix said quickly, sounding as if the idea was laughable.

"I mean, if we were _really _lovers, it wouldn't be so out of the question, but..."

"Of course. But under the _real _circumstances, it's completely preposterous to even think such a thing..."

"Definitely." The silence was growing uncomfortable. We exchanged a glance, and I finally laughed. "Why is this so awkward?" I asked out loud.

LaCroix chuckled. "That _is _the effect of this line of conversation, isn't it?" he agreed.

"I mean, it's not as if I just turned you down or anything."

"I didn't ask!"

"And...you weren't..._going _to...right?"

He raised an eyebrow and looked at me incredulously. "No. Of course not."

"Okay. Okay, good. Just...making sure I wasn't shoving my foot further and further into my mouth or something..." I laughed uneasily. The silence was falling again, and I felt desperate to avoid it. "You...didn't give Layla the impression that you were going to begin _considering _asking me to marry you, right?" I asked.

LaCroix was silent for a few moments before shaking his head. "No. I told her we'd not discussed anything of the sort and left it at that."

"She didn't ask if you'd considered asking?"

"No. Why?"

I sighed. "I'm just worried she's going to start spreading a rumor that you're considering it or that we're getting close to becoming engaged or something along those lines."

LaCroix lifted his chin, lips pursed slightly in thought. "If it comes down to that, we'll deal with it when it happens."

I laughed. "How? At that point, it'll be hounding us forever. Either we'll have to give in to the public pressure, or we'll have to split to get such rumors to stop." I paused, another thought coming to mind. "Or she'll spread the rumor that we _are _engaged already. A total lie, yes, but how would we prove that?"

LaCroix sighed and walked over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder and bringing my chin up to look at him with the other hand. Looking into my eyes, he said, "Stop. You'll consume yourself with worry when you can't do anything right now. If it comes up, we'll deal with it. I _doubt _it will come up at all. You're merely wasting your energy worrying about something so trivial." I nodded and took a deep breath. LaCroix chuckled, his thumb swiping lightly over my bottom lip. "Such a human gesture to calm yourself," he mused.

I smiled. "It helps."

"I know. The way you cling to such things is...charming, sometimes."

Not what I'd expected him to say. "Charming? I'd expected something more along the lines of 'annoying.'" LaCroix chuckled but didn't respond. I reached up and took his hand away from my chin, holding it in my own instead. "You...don't have to answer this if you don't want to, of course, or if it brings up too many memories, but...if you ever..._were_...to propose...how-"

"Don't, Miss Lucas," he said with a shake of his head. "Have your female sentimentalist fantasies if you must, but don't make me delve into that."

I nodded, bringing our hands up to my lips, kissing his knuckles lightly. "Okay. I'm sorry. I just...it was going to make me _burst _if I didn't try..."

He chuckled, shaking his head again. "Well, we couldn't have that," he said softly, letting go of my hand and walking back to his desk.

"Prince?" He stopped and turned to look at me. I began to chew my lower lip again, my old habits coming back whenever I got nervous or troubled, even if it was the first one he'd worked to break. "Now that you remember your old _true _feelings for Layla, when you've called me your weakness...what do you mean?"

He frowned, pressing his lips together tightly. "You're wanting to hear me say I feel for you the same way I felt about her," he said, accusing.

"I'm just confused now," I said with a slight laugh. "You told me that Kindred really didn't love in the same sense of the word that I was used to, but what you told me tonight kinda contradicted that. So...I'm just curious what you mean when you call me your weakness."

"You're my childe. Of course there will be affection there," he said.

I nodded. "Affection. So the meaning remains the same."

"Yes."

"And what would your lover be, then, if not your weakness?"

A muscle twitched in his jaw. He sighed, and I could see some of the tension leave with his breath. "Probably my Final Death if not my weakness," he answered.

I nodded again, slowly this time. "Then my absence should serve to do you some good," I said, sounding colder than I'd intended. "My being here obviously won't. I'm going to pack. I'll be leaving early tomorrow evening, so goodbye, Prince. I probably won't see you before then." As I spoke, I turned and walked to the office door. I opened it slowly in case he had something to say, but nothing but silence was left behind me when I closed the door again. I clenched my teeth as I walked to the elevator. _So that's it, then,_ I thought. _He has "affection" for me. Translation: I mean next to nothing. He probably still loves her. She'll learn that I'm away and come back and—ah, fuck it. If he wants her, he can have her._ Once in the elevator, I punched the button to my floor angrily. _Then again, what kind of woman would I be if I didn't stay to keep her from stealing him? A fucking doormat, that's what._ I pressed my lips together and stared hard at the button marked "PH," considering going back up to tell LaCroix that I'd changed my mind and was staying. _He's not "mine." As much as I want him to be-_ I laughed bitterly out loud. "God dammit," I said to no one in particular. _It's not just the blood._

When I got out of the elevator on my floor, I unlocked my suite and went in, sighing as I did so. _Maybe this will be good for me, too. Get away from my obsession for a while. Find out for myself if absence makes the heart grow fonder or if this is really just some sort of twisted infatuation. Stop existing for him for a couple months and get my head screwed on straight again. It worked the first time I was going to Sacramento so often. I hardly thought about him at all. Then again, I was working towards something. I don't know what I'll be doing now..._

I pulled a suitcase out from under my bed and opened it, gathering some clothes to toss in. _What will I do if nothing whatsoever has changed? If he's still just LaCroix and I'm just someone he has "affection" for?_ With a frustrated sigh, I placed my hands on the mattress and leaned on the bed. "What the hell am I doing? This isn't a fucking movie," I muttered. "He's not going to just magically realize he can't live without me and come to Sacramento or pick me up at the airport with a bouquet and a kiss and his mother's ring. God dammit, Mercurio, what the fuck were you thinking, giving me this fucking idea?" With a growl, I pushed away from the bed and left the room to pace in the living area._ You know, this wouldn't have happened if I'd never had that fucking idea to pretend we were together at Samantha's birthday party. Stupid, **stupid** idea. God, it's gotten me **nothing** but trouble._ As soon as I had the thought, I stopped pacing and remembered the kisses and touches in the back of the limousine that night. No ulterior motive, no blood exchanged, just...us. I frowned, wondering what had been different back then besides the fact that my heart had still been beating. He could smell my blood, hear my heartbeat...all the same temptations were there. The only thing gone since then was my naiveté. My innocence, really. I felt like a princess that night, romance and roses in the air. I collapsed on the couch with a sigh, missing that feeling. There was no romance between us, really. A few affectionate—god, I was beginning to hate that word—touches, perhaps. Everything else was lust, whether his for blood or mine for other physical pleasures. And now? Both consumed by thirst for each other's blood.

I shook my head._ It's not just the blood._ Out loud, I laughed bitterly again. Silly human. A human with fangs and a severe allergy to sunlight, that's all I was. Still longing for love and romance from a being who'd worked those qualities from his being over two centuries, even more so over the past few decades since being hurt by giving in to them. Staring at the floor, gritting my teeth, I wanted more than anything to be able to cry again. I hadn't changed so much after all. I knew when to be cold and unfeeling, even without thinking about it sometimes. But deep inside...

Swallowing hard, I stood and forced myself back into the bedroom to finish packing. _My visits to Mercurio really should stay infrequent if this is the effect they have on me._


	34. Chapter 34

After packing, I sat on my bed with my arms crossed over my chest, one knee bouncing with nervous energy as I thought. The whole thing with Layla was still bothering me. I felt like it would be nothing less than stupid to leave without keeping an eye on her somehow. Not that LaCroix was needing protection from her or anything, but I finally nailed down the fact that I felt just plain threatened by the thought of her coming back here when I was out of town. I couldn't think of a single reason why she'd given the ring back to LaCroix. I _definitely _didn't believe that it was so he could use it to propose to me.

And whenever I had that thought, my mind went off on a totally separate tangent, wondering how he'd proposed to her. Was he a romantic deep down? Rose petals, candlelight...couldn't treat her to a romantic dinner, but two out of three wouldn't be bad... Or maybe a moonlight walk by a river or something. I couldn't see him being the type to get down on one knee; but if he was _really _in love as he claimed he was...

_" Have your female sentimentalist fantasies if you must..." _he'd said, and I was. But it was making me feel worse. My knee bounced faster; and my lips pressed together a bit harder, a small, indignant snort coming from my nostrils. Why the _hell _would he propose to _her_, but the thought of proposing to me was out of the question? I groaned aloud, placing my hands on both sides of my head and curling my fingers in my hair. This whole situation was making me crazy. I _knew _why he wouldn't propose to me. I didn't _want _him to, even for show. Hell, he already treated me like the little wife he had "affection" for, but the spark had long since died away due to having grown too comfortable with one another during a long marriage. At least, that's how my romance-starved, jealous shred of human Nat was thinking of the situation. I sighed and leaned my elbows on my knees, feeling somewhat limp. _Maybe it'll be good for me to get away._ My bottom lip became caught between my teeth again as I thought. I still needed _some _assurance that Layla wouldn't be a problem while I was away from Los Angeles. Or at least, that she was under surveillance. A thought occurred to me, a crazy, impetuous one, but a thought nonetheless. I glanced at my clock and saw that I still had some hours before sunrise. Time was short, but if I got lucky... A nervous flutter of doubt settled in my abdomen, but I chose to ignore it and left the suite to head to Santa Monica.

* * *

When I walked up to the door in the side of the building that held Trip's Pawnshop, I swore under my breath. Jimmy had unlocked it when we got there. I reached for the handle and tried it anyway, holding in a triumphant laugh when it turned, and the door opened. Some resident of the apartments apparently hadn't remembered to lock it behind them. Lucky for me. I went up the stairs and stood at the door I remembered being his apartment for a moment before knocking. The nervous flutter was still in my stomach, and I briefly wondered if I should go through with this.

I heard the deadbolt unlock from the inside, then the door opened just a crack. Closed again, the sound of a chain lock being undone, then the door swung open wide. Jimmy stood in front of me with a smirk on his face. I let my gaze travel over him and swallowed hard. The same blond hair and turquoise eyes I remembered, black t-shirt that was just slightly tight on his torso, long legs wearing jeans that fit just right... I swallowed hard and smiled. "Hi, Jimmy."

"Kristin," he greeted as he stepped aside and made a sweeping gesture with one hand to invite me in.

"Uh...yeah, about that," I said with a chuckle as I stepped inside. "It's...Nat, actually. Natalie. Nat's fine, but...um. Yeah."

He laughed quietly as he closed the door and locked it behind me. "You gave me a fake name?" he asked, obviously amused. "Just in case I went looking for you or something?"

"Yeah, pretty much..."

"Hm." He crossed his arms and looked me over quickly. "You know, when I woke up and couldn't feel you next to me _or _in my veins, I never thought I'd see you again."

I shrugged, giving him a smile. "Surprise," I said lightly.

He nodded, still holding that same smirk on his face. "So, what can I do for you tonight, beautiful? The blood bank's closed, if that's why you're here."

"Blood—oh, no, I wasn't coming here for a drink," I said with a shake of my head. His eyebrows went up as he pulled out a small, rickety-looking, wooden chair and sat down in front of me. He seemed surprised, but now even more interested to find out why I was visiting. Realizing I wasn't going to get an invitation to make myself comfortable, I sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him. "I need someone to keep an eye on some things for me for a while. I don't really have anyone I can trust who won't let word of what I'm doing travel back to my boss."

"Mmhmm," Jimmy said, crossing his arms and lifting his chin slightly as he tilted his head curiously.

I hesitated for a moment, then continued. "The only way I _can _trust someone is to...recruit. A ghoul, I mean." I paused and met his eyes with my own. "You still interested?"

His smirk widened into a full grin. "I might be," he said smoothly.

"There are a few things you need to know," I said, biting my bottom lip nervously. "I can only really tell you them _after _you've taken my blood, but...I'll have you know that your being alive is already a _huge _favor from me to you." I looked at him seriously. "My boss wants you dead. My giving you blood is the only thing that will keep him from hunting you down to prevent a Masquerade violation."

Jimmy's grin began to fade. "Who is this 'boss' of yours?" he asked.

I stood, giving him a small smile as I walked over to him. "That's one of the things I can only tell you after you've had your drink." The look in his eyes was uncertain at first; but after I bit into my wrist and let him see the blood beginning to drip down my skin, he only looked consumed with desire. He gripped my wrist loosely and brought it to his lips, licking up the blood that had run down my arm first, then drinking directly from the wound. I couldn't help but smile at the sounds he made as he drank, similar to those he made during our night together. The sensation that I felt from his drinking from my wrist was pleasurable, making me feel calm and warm and slightly tingly. It didn't seem as strong as whatever LaCroix felt when I drank from him; I wondered if it was different when the person at one's wrist—or neck or whatever—was a vampire. I gently pulled my wrist away from Jimmy, licking the wound and watching him collect stray blood from his lips with his tongue.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, shakily. "Who the hell are you?" he asked with a chuckle.

I smirked at his question. "Tell me, are you familiar with the name Sebastian LaCroix?"

"Yeah, of course," Jimmy said with a shrug. "Cherise hated him. She wanted to do everything in her power to kick his ass out of town when he showed up."

_Fuck...fuck fuck fuck, his regent was an anarch. _"Really," I said dryly. "Well, consider your loyalties officially changed. He's not only my boss, but also my sire and my lover. So I _hope _your attitude can be appropriately adjusted when it comes to Prince LaCroix."

He looked at me gape-mouthed for a few moments. "Wait, so...you only fucked me for my blood?"

I rolled my eyes. "You have my deepest apologies, but yes. You had what I wanted, I indulged myself in a bit of pleasure before taking it. I'm sure you know by now that vampires tend to do that."

Nodding slowly, he licked his lips again. "I assume LaCroix doesn't know..."

"He knows. I told him."

"_What_? No fucking wonder he wants me dead!"

Sighing impatiently, I rolled my eyes again. "He wanted you _dead _because you were a human walking around with full knowledge that vampires exist and no regent to keep you under wraps," I explained quickly. "My sleeping with you makes no difference to him because he knows that sex is sometimes the only realistic way to get blood. Sacrifices must be made sometimes, even if it means being..._unfaithful_." I paused, then added, "He's rather understanding that way."

"So...since I'm a ghoul again, I should be good, right?" Jimmy asked nervously.

"Yes. But you are to have _no _contact with Prince LaCroix until I say otherwise. Understood?" Jimmy nodded, and I smiled slightly. "Good. Now, what I need you for is actually a matter of spying and reconnaissance. Do you think you can handle something like that without exposing yourself or me?" Before he could answer, I held up a finger and added, "Realize that if word of your mission reaches _anyone_, it will come back on me; and because of my involvement, it will come back on LaCroix. That would spell death for both you _and _me. So you must understand how important it is that you treat this with the utmost discretion."

"You really think your boyfriend would kill you?" Jimmy said, half-smirking.

"I have no doubt of it, especially as this wouldn't be too kindly looked upon by our clan _or _the Camarilla," I said. "After all, he _is _prince. He can't discriminate, even for me."

"All right, not a word, then. I can be sneaky. I have some tricks. What is it?"

I hesitated once more, hoping I wasn't signing my own proverbial death certificate or, worse, calling my own blood hunt. "I need you to find someone and track her movements. Layla Neubauer. Last I knew, she lived just outside town with Charles Ingram. _He _is of no concern to me. I want you to find _her _and keep an eye on her. I'll be in Sacramento on business for a couple months, but I want you to contact me if she gets anywhere _near _LaCroix."

Jimmy laughed softly. "Ah, I get it. You want to make sure this bitch isn't trying to steal your man."

I pursed my lips to hold my temper and keep myself from snapping at him. "Not...exactly. She's no threat to my relationship with the prince," I said, hoping I wasn't inadvertently lying. "However, she _has _been acting odd lately. For years, she's treated the both of us coldly, like her worst enemies. Yet tonight, she felt it necessary to drop in for a social call and was seemingly as sweet as sugar. I want to know what she's up to. I don't trust her within a _mile _of Venture Tower. If you find it easier for you to get a room downtown somewhere for the duration of this assignment, do so. I'll cover the costs."

My new ghoul laughed again. "Damn, I should have become a Ventrue's ghoul _years _ago."

I smirked. "We treat our people well when they deserve to be."

Jimmy seemed to get a little nervous again. "Now...this isn't just going to be a one-time thing, right? I mean, it isn't like you'll come back into town and tell me I did good and disappear again, right?"

I walked over to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "As long as you do your job well and exactly how I need you to do it, you won't need to worry about that." I patted him on the cheek and turned to leave. "Don't disappoint me."

"Wait! How do I find this Layla woman? And how do I contact you if I need to?"

I looked at him over my shoulder. "You've got until tomorrow night to figure out how to find Layla. I'll leave my phone number in your mailbox downstairs." With that, I left the apartment, smiling to myself. It actually felt _good _to have that kind of power over someone. To have a "minion" of sorts. No wonder LaCroix enjoyed life at the top...

* * *

When I arrived in Sacramento, I found that Prince Evans had prepared a small office for me. The plan was to have me essentially doing the same tasks I'd been doing for LaCroix, filtering visitors and keeping track of business files that were still being sent over from Evans's personal archives. He'd always run a low-profile, high-profit real estate business, something very easy to overlook. Perfect for a Camarilla prince. Now, since he'd moved into Camarilla provided accommodations, he was slowly moving his entire business into the new building.

There was so much filing and rearranging to be done in the midst of various Kindred dropping by that I hardly noticed the passage of the first two weeks. One night at the beginning of the third week, however, I found a moment to myself that allowed me to think and look at a calendar. I'd heard from Jimmy only _once _during my time in Sacramento so far, and he'd only called to flirt. I'd given him a harsh tongue lashing and not heard from him since. The fortunate thing about that call, however, was that it allowed me to store his number into my cell phone. Feeling slightly irritated that he'd not seen fit to even update me, I pulled out my phone and called him. "Hello?" His voice on the other end of the line sounded a little surprised to find me calling.

"James," I purred into the phone, settling back in my desk chair. "I've missed the sound of your voice."

He chuckled. "Oh, _really_..." he said, and I could hear his guard drop immediately.

"I have," I responded, a fingernail idly scratching at the arm of my chair. "Especially since I'd been hoping to hear from you more frequently than this. I'm beginning to think I chose my ghoul poorly."

"No! I mean, I...there hasn't been much to report!" Jimmy said, his voice now laced with nervousness.

"'Much'?" I repeated, my fingers now drumming my annoyance on the chair. "If there has been _anything _to report, I had hoped I would have known about it by now."

There was a short pause from Jimmy. "It's really nothing," he said. "I found her. She's been staying out of LA, for the most part. Seems attached to the older guy she lives with. Hardly ever goes anywhere without him."

"Her sire," I clarified with an impatient sigh.

"She's stayed away from LaCroix," Jimmy said. "Hasn't set foot anywhere near Venture Tower. That's why I didn't call you. I figured that as long as she stayed away from him, you didn't care."

I scoffed. "So you _assumed _to know what I wanted from you," I said coldly. "Jimmy, let me make this perfectly clear: I want to know what she's doing and with whom and where. _Daily_ updates would be preferable, even if only a short voicemail stating that there's nothing to report. Just because _you _don't find her actions suspicious or meaningful doesn't mean that they _aren't._ Let _me _make that distinction. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jimmy said quietly.

"Good. Then I'll hear from you tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. Good night, Jimmy." I hung up the phone with disgust. Presumptuous ghoul. No wonder LaCroix didn't keep many. In my head, I ran over the conversation I'd just had. Really, I'd gotten no information from him. I hoped that he was right, that there was nothing about Layla's movements that would have betrayed something of note. I sighed, feeling that nervous flutter again. "Stupid," I berated myself out loud, getting to my feet. My office had a small balcony with glass sliding doors, and I chose this time to go outside to think. At the railing of the balcony, I stood and looked over the city. I was beginning to realize that I'd acted rashly yet again in making Jimmy my ghoul. Layla was acting strange, yes, but there was nothing that she could do in two months that she couldn't have done over years. I still hadn't gotten used to the fact that life wasn't so short anymore, that time seemed to travel differently for Kindred. Patience was more of a virtue than ever as Kindred. I was used to rushing and going head-first into things, a habit that I desperately needed to break before I made a deadly mistake. Making Jimmy watch her was only inviting trouble, but he had a taste of my blood now. I groaned and shook my head as I thought about the situation I was now stuck in. This was precisely the reason I _hadn't_ wanted to give him my blood the night we'd met. Also, LaCroix wouldn't be happy to find out that I had a ghoul after he'd expressed his relief that I'd not given Jimmy my blood that first night.

_LaCroix_. The name in my mind hit me like a fist to the chest. I missed him. I'd been in denial over it for the first week, but I'd finally eased into the idea. It took some conscious admitting that I wasn't only interested in his blood as well as the smug realization that he was absolutely wrong about his assessment of my feelings for him. I was very much in love; but it was making me miserable, especially since his own realization that he'd once been in love himself and that he definitely _wasn't_ in love with me. At least, that's how I was taking the whole last conversation we'd had. I'd managed to keep myself busy enough in Sacramento to not agonize over thoughts of him too often, but I'd also been dreading my first quiet moment. _This _moment.

I realized then that my phone was still in my hand, and I entertained the thought of calling LaCroix to hear his voice._ No,_ I thought._ This is an addiction, an obsession. Depriving myself will help me get over it. I'll get through the heartbreaking withdrawal and spend next month working smoothly without even the slightest thought of him. Then I'll head back to Los Angeles and... _I pictured going into his office for the first time in two months. In my mind, he looked up at me but didn't smile. He got up from his desk but still didn't smile. His footsteps were quick and sure as he made his way across the office in my mind and pulled me into his arms, catching my lips in a brutal kiss, telling me wordlessly that he'd been as desperate for me as I'd been for him.

I shook my head hard, trying to clear those thoughts out physically as I grit my teeth and gripped my phone a little tighter. _Realistic. I have to be more realistic than that. He won't suddenly "come to his senses" and find himself in love just because I'm gone for a mere two months._ Okay, back in his office in my mind. He looked up at me. Opened his mouth to speak. _"Oh. You've returned. I suppose you'll want your old office back..."_

Ouch. Realism wasn't what I wanted to concentrate on at the moment. I looked at my phone, wondering what he was doing, if it was a bad time to call. The thought made me chuckle as soon as it touched my mind. _Of course it's a bad time, _I reminded myself. _He's not one to enjoy a casual chat, no matter with whom._ As I looked at the phone, it suddenly vibrated; and its ring tone sang out loudly. The phone's coming to life in my hand startled me, and I dropped it right off the balcony. I cringed, leaning on the railing and looking down at the sidewalk below while hoping the phone hadn't come in contact with anyone below. I comforted myself with the reminder that it was hardly after four in the morning; there wouldn't be many people walking about at that time. Frowning, I went back inside. I hadn't seen the caller ID to find out who was calling before dropping the phone.

I sat at my desk and leaned my elbow on the desk top, cupping my hand under my chin. Making a decision, I picked up the landline phone on my desk and punched in a number. Settling back in my chair while I listened to the line ring, my fingers tapped the arm of my chair nervously. "LaCroix," came the voice on the other end.

"Good evening, Prince LaCroix," I said, trying to keep him from knowing that my words were part of a deep, calming breath I was slowly exhaling.

There was a small pause on the other end. "Miss Lucas," he greeted simply. Good thing: his voice didn't sound cold when he said my name. Bad thing: he didn't sound particularly happy either.

I cleared my throat before speaking again. "I know you're busy, so I'll be brief." This time, I was the one to pause. I chuckled as I continued. "You probably already know this, but your childe is a bit of a clumsy idiot."

That made him chuckle, bringing a grin to my face. "I hope you've not made _too _much of a mess," he replied. He was in a good mood, I could tell.

_Thank god,_ I thought. My timing hadn't been as horrible as it could have been. "I don't think so," I said. "But I was out on the balcony a moment ago with my phone in my hand; and it happened to ring, which startled me and prompted me to let go of the damned thing before I could see who was calling. Needless to say, I'll be needing to buy a new phone tomorrow night." LaCroix chuckled again, and I could picture him shaking his head as he did so. "Anyway, the purpose of my calling was to find out if you had been trying to reach me when I dropped my phone thirty floors."

"No," LaCroix responded. "Were you expecting me to call?"

_I'd hoped,_ I wanted to say. "Not necessarily," I said instead. "Just wanted to check on the off chance it was you. The last thing I'd want is to have you thinking I was ignoring your call."

"Hm. Well, worry no longer."

I nodded, though he couldn't see me. I swallowed down the urge to begin rambling just to keep him on the line. I'd found out what I needed to in order to satisfy the purpose of my call. Time to hang up. But _god_, it was good to hear his voice, especially since he was in good humor. I took another deep breath and put on a smile, hoping it'd transmit over the line. "Well, I hope you're well, Prince," I said cheerily. "I'll let you get back about your business."

LaCroix cleared his throat, and I heard a slight creak that I recognized after a moment as coming from his chair. It was a sound I never acknowledged while in the same room with him. When I couldn't connect the sound to his shifting in the chair or possibly getting up, it stood out. "How are things in Sacramento?" he asked.

I hesitated. _Wait...is he trying to keep **me** on the line?_ I wondered, fighting back a wave of giddy hope. "Finally calming down a little," I answered. "It's been busy. I can see why Prince Evans needed an extra hand around here. Things should be settling into a nice, steady routine soon."

"I'm glad your time there isn't going to waste, then," LaCroix said. "What are the chances of your coming back sooner than two months?"

I laughed, unable to help myself. "Well, well, _someone _sounds as if he misses me!" I said, grinning.

He let out a small, disgruntled sound. "You make your place here over five years and yet are still surprised that I find myself lacking the help I could use when you leave," he grumbled.

I frowned. "I'm sorry, Prince," I said sincerely. "I thought that since you'd managed perfectly well before my coming along, you'd hardly miss me if I were gone for a short period. That's the only reason I agreed to help Prince Evans." I paused, then began to smile as I said, "If I'd thought for a moment that you'd be positively _lost _without me, I'd have stayed."

LaCroix chuckled. "You make me sound perfectly incapable," he pointed out.

"Perish the thought, Prince," I said with a grin.

Before I could say anymore, LaCroix spoke again. "The fact of the matter is, while you _have _proven useful to me, I'm more concerned about the sudden heated rumors spreading through the streets."

I groaned. "Why must Kindred be such gossips?" I said, covering my eyes with a hand. "What is it now? I assume it's about us..."

"Not _us_, Miss Lucas," LaCroix said. "_You_. Namely, that you've begun suffering a fit of jealous possessiveness and are currently employing a hitman to stalk an old acquaintance of mine."

_Shit..._

He went on. "Supposedly, you're afraid that I am going to be stolen away by this old acquaintance, and you're willing to go to the length of killing her to keep that from happening. Now..._why_ would a rumor like that be going around, Natalie?"

_Shiiiiiiiiit._ "I haven't the slightest clue," I said, fighting to keep my voice from cracking. Clearing my throat now would be a dead giveaway.

In spite of my attempts to sound casual, as could be predicted, LaCroix saw through it. "Even over the phone, you know better than to lie to me, Natalie," he said in a deadly, low tone. "What is the source of these rumors? What have you been up to?"

"Nothing!" I insisted.

"I will give you one last chance to tell me the truth before I fly up to Sacramento myself to-"

"All right!" I interrupted, my hands shaking. It was one thing to have him yelling in his office. To have his voice right in my ear when he started shouting was another resolve-shattering thing altogether. "It wasn't jealousy or anything of the sort," I told him. "Rather, I was suspicious as to Layla's motives regarding your mother's ring. She certainly wouldn't just _drop by_ to give it back out of the goodness of her heart, nor would she so forcefully encourage our being betrothed. I hired someone to follow her, yes; but it was never my intent to _kill _her! I just wanted to know what she's up to!"

LaCroix sighed, and I heard the chair creak again. I pictured him leaning back in his chair, phone held to his ear with one hand, the other hand massaging his forehead wearily. "Obviously...your _spy _is rather amateur."

Groaning inwardly, I said, "Apparently so."

"Do you realize how this makes you look?" His words were still clipped with anger.

"I can't control how people are going to misconstrue something, especially when it was never in my plan to have anyone know about it in the first place! Believe me, when I get back to Los Angeles, he's going to wish he'd never done whatever it was he did to allow such rumors to be started."

LaCroix groaned. "You make me wish I could still be keeping you under lock and key, that your _Agoge _had never ended; so I at least could keep you under constant supervision."

I bristled at that. "I made a mistake," I admitted slowly, speaking through clenched teeth. "I _know _that. I will _fix _it."

"How?"

Trying to think fast, I said, "The ghoul will be punished and-"

"Ghoul? Whose ghoul?"

I cringed. _Fuck. Goddammit, I shouldn't have called. Dammit, dammit, dammit... _"Mine."

The silence from the other end of the line was long enough to make me wonder if LaCroix was making good on his threat to come to Sacramento right that moment. Finally, he spoke. "Yours."

"Yes, sir."

"You...made someone your ghoul...and assigned to him the duty of following Layla wherever she went..."

_I am so fucking dead._ "Yes, sir."

LaCroix's sigh was almost worse than any screaming he could have done. "And we're back where we started," he said quietly. "Back to the days when you impulsively act or speak, and _I'm _the one left to clean up your mess. The only difference now is that I get to answer to the entire _clan _for your actions. _I_ get to try to answer their questions about how you could be so _stupid_ and _careless_._ I_ get to explain myself as to what potential I saw in you and, in god's name, _when _you're going to finally begin to use it. Not to mention _when _you'll finally be using what semblance of a _brain _you might have in your head. _I_ get to try to laugh off the joke you've made of yourself and, in turn, _me_." He paused in his tirade, and I was tempted to try to say something, but no words came to mind. I'd totally failed him. I was an embarrassment of a childe for him. He went on with a bitter laugh. "I can't _wait _to see the look on your face the first time you get to answer for yourself because of this. You've had this level of devastation coming, my dear childe, for _so_ very long. _I_ get to put up with the jokes and jabs at making my choice for my first childe poorly, but _you_..._you _get to deal with the loss of your _dignitas _at such a drastic level already! I'd worried initially that you might set yourself up for something like this, but I knew there was nothing I could do to stop it. Especially because it was _you_. You'd never take my warnings, my _wisdom_. You'd pretend to listen, then throw it—and _yourself_—away. I knew it all along. _This _will take some time for you to recover." Again, I opened my mouth to speak and was startled by my lungs reflexively gasping in a sharp, shaking breath instead. And my face was wet. And LaCroix was saying in a new tone now, "What...what is...are you _crying_?" I tried to answer that his accusation was preposterous; but I instead blubbered wordless sobs into the mouthpiece of the phone, using my free hand to wipe the bloody tears from my cheeks. LaCroix sighed, then chuckled. "Only you, Natalie..."

"O—only me w-what?" I stammered.

"You're the only Kindred of whom I can think who would still have enough humanity left in her to be brought to tears by mere words," he said. The sharp, accusing tone was totally gone. He sounded almost fond of me again. Affectionate. "Funny. I'd begun to wonder how your humanity had left you so fast. I had figured you'd just adapted quickly. I suppose you've proven me wrong tonight."

I tried to breathe in to speak and instead gulped down a few more sobs that wouldn't let words out. "I'm sorry," I finally managed to say. "I don't know what the fuck I'm doing anymore."

"You've no reason to apologize to me," LaCroix said.

"Yes, I do!" I argued. "I'm an embarrassment to you! I'm a total fuck-up, nothing like what you'd built me up to be to the clan."

He chuckled. "I hate to use this analogy, Natalie, but what parent doesn't get embarrassed by their child now and then? It takes _time _for a child to come into their own. So it is with Kindred. You're thrown into this new side of existence with what you've learned as a human and expected to become a totally different being. Yes, you've made a mistake that will take time to move past. And yes, because of our unique...situation, more so than my merely being your sire, you can't help but drag me through the mud a bit as well. But I've made my name that will help me through a bit. And you've got _many _years in front of you to wash away this blunder."

I stayed silent for a few minutes. As silent as I could while my throat and lungs were still convulsing with tears. I wondered how a creature who needed no breath to live could still so reflexively draw it in during a fit of emotion that shouldn't even be there anymore. "You were so mad a second ago," I said quietly. "Now you're trying to make me feel better?"

"I didn't think you'd react so...emotionally," he replied. "It's not something Kindred normally do."

"I'm sorry," I whispered again. I felt like such a failure, being separated from the rest of my kind because I couldn't let go of my emotions. It wasn't as if I could control it.

"Natalie," LaCroix said, and I could hear the warmth in his voice. "You were Embraced because you're different. If I wanted a childe like all the other Kindred, I would have chosen someone _long _before you came along."

In spite of myself, I laughed. "You make it sound as if you chose me because I'm an impulsive bumbler."

"No, I chose you because you were so alive, I felt that not even death could quench that. I wanted to see how that translated into Kindred lifestyle."

"So I'm an experiment."

He laughed. "Listen to me. You're not an experiment or anything of the sort. Perhaps a bit of satisfaction for a bit of curiosity; but more than that, you bring into this damned darkness a little touch of the sunlight you've soaked up during all the years you were alive. Your sunlight doesn't burn, Natalie. You still have a touch of that life within you, and Embracing you only gave to you the opportunity to stand out like no human ever could. Once you find your feet a little in _this _world, you'll learn how to balance yourself with being a Ventrue and stay true to the meaning of both."

I was smiling when he stopped speaking. Grinning, really. "So...should I start spreading sunflowers to all the Elysiums or something? Being a Kindred sunshine?"

He laughed again. "Perhaps I'm sounding melodramatic, but..." He paused, and I pictured him shrugging. "You're different. There's no better way to explain it. And yes, things are rather boring without you around."

I giggled. "I think you like me more than you let on," I accused.

"I think we've both known this for a while."

I bit my bottom lip to keep from giggling again. I hated sounding so teenager-ish when talking to LaCroix, but those little glimpses of affection from him brought it out of me. "I miss you," I told him, finally just getting it out.

He chuckled. "Is that really why you called?"

"No, I really did drop my phone," I said with a laugh. "But it opened the perfect opportunity to hear your voice."

"Clever." He still sounded like he was smiling. "Now, you _will _need to call off your ghoul."

"Yes, sir."

"Tonight."

"As soon as we're off the line."

"Good. I'll try to smooth things over as much as possible here. When you return, you can finish the job."

I bit my lip nervously. "What do you think I'll have to do?"

"To be honest, I haven't the slightest idea. It all depends on whether it gets brought up or not."

"Do you think my visiting Layla or at least making a show of civility would help?"

There was a pause. After a moment, LaCroix said, "It may, but let me think on that for a while. She seemed...more willing to be civil when you two last encountered each other. A burying of the proverbial hatchet may go far in patching this blunder." He sighed, then said, "Well, anyway. We'll talk more about this when you return."

"Yes, sir. Good evening, my Prince."

"Good evening, Miss Lucas."

I hung up the phone and slouched down in my chair. I'd forgotten how exhausting emotions were. I let myself recover for a few moments before calling Jimmy back. "It's me," I said when he answered, knowing he wouldn't recognize the number I was calling from. "Stand down. I don't know what happened, but you've blown your cover already. I just got my ass chewed by LaCroix for it."

"Oh fuck," he said, a quiver in his voice. "I'm dead, aren't I?"

"Not necessarily," I reassured him. "LaCroix seems more concerned about the social consequences my putting you on Layla's tail has incurred. I'll be in touch when I get back to the LA area. Until then, go on about your life as usual."

"This is a total one-eighty, boss," Jimmy said, and I could tell he was being cautious with his words.

I sighed. "I know. I had no idea that you'd been found out until tonight, though. _After _we'd spoken. Just...lay low. We'll talk again when I get back."

* * *

**A/N: Wow, two weeks with no update. Guess that's what happens after getting a new job and working overtime two weekends in a row. :) Thanks to all of you who take the time to read this still. :)**


	35. Chapter 35

Things were beginning to slow down. Less frantic mess meant more time for me to think, something I was trying to desperately avoid. I didn't want to think about LaCroix, I didn't want to think about Layla, I didn't want to think about Jimmy and how I'd dragged him into the whole mess... I didn't want to think about the ring... Several times, I'd been lying in bed as the sun rose; and a laugh would escape because I'd thought about how likely it would be that LaCroix would actually use the ring to propose to me. Pretty much zero percent of a chance. That's not to say I was hoping for it. After all, marriage as Kindred seemed like an odd concept. Fidelity as Kindred was odd enough, let alone an institution like marriage. Maybe someday...tax breaks or whatever. _That _was the part that always made me laugh: the fact that the only reason to even think about marriage anymore was the fringe benefits that humans get from it. But still, it was rather dangerous at the same time. A marriage license would mean digging into one's past for identity purposes, dangerous for LaCroix. Plus, it would be on public record; and that could prove problematic a hundred years or so down the line. Granted, I was sure the Camarilla had enough people placed in the right offices to tidily cover up things like that, much in the same way LaCroix's immigration from France had likely been handled; but it was never an impossibility that something might slip through the cracks can cause problems.

So, rather than think, I found anything I could do to keep myself busy. While Camarilla matters in Sacramento were quickly becoming more organized and routine, that didn't mean that Prince Evans didn't have tasks for me to do. Many of such tasks were escorting VIPs around the city or being a package girl. It reminded me of my first months with the LaCroix Foundation, really. Each "job" only proved to make me wish my two months would hurry and pass so I could go back home, especially when I was tasked with escorting a snobbish Malkavian named Doreen Felina who insisted that my name was Beatrice and that I had a faulty memory. "Oh, Beatrice, you _know _I never sit on the right side of the car, especially while it's moving!" she'd said to me when I opened the passenger door for her. She'd tut-tutted me and walked around to the back of the car and tapped her foot impatiently. "This door won't open itself, Beatrice!"

"Um, but Miss Felina-"

"Oh, Beatrice, did you forget your keys again?"

Frowning, I looked down at the keys in my hand before looking back up at the strange woman. "No, ma'am, I have them."

"I swear, Beatrice, you really _must _begin keeping spare sets!" She briskly walked over to me, painful-looking stiletto heels clicking sharply on the asphalt of the parking lot. Her hand grabbed my wrist, and she took the keys from me. Dangling the keys in front of my face, she said, "_Here _they are, Beatrice, _right _where I told you they'd be! Now don't _lose _them this time, for _heaven's _sake!" With that, she slapped the keys back into my still outstretched hand and walked back to the rear of the car, crossing her arms over her chest and beginning to tap her foot again.

At that point, I was more than happy to lock her in the trunk as she seemed to want. Pasting a big smile on my face, I opened the trunk and made an "after you" gesture. Miss Felina gave an agitated sigh and rolled her eyes. "_I'm _not driving, Beatrice. Why do you want _me _to get in the cockpit?"

My smile faded, but I managed to regain it as I used a little too much force to slam the trunk shut. "I must not be thinking, ma'am, I'm sorry." As I went around to the driver's side of the car to open the door to the back seat for her, I muttered, "A fucking _ghoul _should be doing this job..." I tried to picture Mercurio in my position and nearly laughed out loud as Miss Felina finally got into the car. I shut the door behind her, still snickering inwardly as I got into the driver's seat. A piercing shriek made me jump.

"_Beatrice!_ Oh, _how _did you ever get this job? You can't _fly_!"

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Oh my _god_..." I muttered under my breath. "We're not flying, ma'am," I explained, trying to keep my voice calm. "We're driving. On the ground. Don't worry, I'm licensed."

"Oh. Well. That's a relief."

_**Thank** you... _I thought as I started the car. My teeth were gritting together as I pulled out of the parking lot. I just wanted the night to be over at that point.

I felt a hand grab my shoulder tightly. "_Please _be careful," Miss Felina said. "I hear there are wild angels roaming about. It would be a _tragedy _if we hit them."

I smiled tightly. "No worries, Miss Felina, the angels only fly. They don't bother with us ground creatures."

"Oh, no, no! You're forgetting that they're no longer locked to the air! They've been given their land wings!"

Rolling my eyes again, I fought the urge to shake my head. _What the fuck...this Malk's weirder than any of the rest._ "I'll be careful, Miss Felina," I assured her.

"Now, Beatrice, don't forget where we're going."

"Yes, ma'am, to the museum so you can attend the prince's court."

"Court? Oh, Beatrice, you've forgotten already. We're not going to the courthouse. We're going to the museum."

_Someone just kill me now. Final Death sounds **so** nice right now. _"How silly of me, ma'am. Of course. To the museum it is."

"Honestly, I'm convinced that Prince Evans has only hired you out of pity. Your memory is _very _lacking."

_I'm going to rip this bitch's throat out! _"Fortunately for all of us, I'm only here on a temporary basis."

"Oh. And then where will you go? If you can remember, of course, dear."

I sighed, wishing I were there already. "Los Angeles, where I work for Prince LaCroix."

"Ah! Prince LaCroix! The Golden Snake himself!"

I coughed, unsure if I should laugh at that or smack the woman sitting behind me. "Excuse me?"

"Always a scheme on his mind and blessed with a golden tongue, that man." She clucked her tongue. "Fire in his heart, though. Can't fault him for that."

That made me smile a bit. She was at least right there. "Very true, Miss Felina."

"That girl he keeps around...She'll put out that fire."

I nearly twisted around in my seat to look at her upon hearing that. "What do you mean?"

"Or he'll put her out. Either way. They don't go well together. _Some_one will meet their Final Death with their pairing."

I swallowed nervously. "If he could put her out, that means she's a firey one too, right? Two fires put together would just consume each other and become one, not extinguish the other," I said carefully, trying to delve into my little bit of "Malkavian thinking" I'd picked up over the years.

"Hm, you might be right, Beatrice," Miss Felina said. Glancing back at her in the rear-view mirror, I saw her tapping her ruby-stained lips with a carefully manicured fingernail. "But two fires coming together could mean the whole city would burn... They're dangerous together, for each other and for everyone around..."

I stayed silent for a few moments, and it took those few moments for me to realize I was smirking as I thought over her words. "I'm sure they could come together and stay under control. After all, it's Prince LaCroix's job to keep the city in check."

"But who will keep _him _in check?" Her eyes suddenly met mine in the mirror, and I shivered.

"He has his superiors in the Camarilla, the same as any other prince."

She shook her head, then looked out the window next to her. "The snake will poison everyone, burn everything, then move on. It's always the same..."

I cleared my throat. "Do you know Prince LaCroix, Miss Felina?"

In the mirror, I saw her shake her head as she still watched the streets pass outside. "Never heard of him."

The rest of the ride to the museum was silent, thankfully. I parked the car and went to the back to open Miss Felina's door. She'd already slid across the seat, though, and let herself out the passenger door. "Oh, Beatrice, did you _really _forget what side I was sitting on?_ Really?_"

I clenched my teeth as I slammed the door shut. "Looks that way," I muttered, following her as she went into the museum.

The meeting was standing room only, and I had to wonder if every Kindred in Sacramento was in attendance. The prince had no platform or stage to make his speech from, but his voice carried clearly through the large room in which we were all assembled. Prince Evans had arranged this to formally give an update to any Kindred in the city who was interested in knowing how the Camarilla was settling in. He introduced the new primogen one by one, taking the time to go into their histories and backgrounds. Once the formal speech he'd had planned was out of the way, Prince Evans announced that the rest of the meeting was going to be much more informal, just a gathering with chatting during which he invited anyone who wished to come up to talk to him. I couldn't help but smile. He was trying to make himself the "people's prince," as I had dubbed it when he told me his plan to proceed in such a manner. I couldn't really find fault with it; but at the same time, I wondered if it would help or hinder his building respect and a face of leadership.

"Miss Lucas," I heard a female voice say behind me, and a light hand rested on my shoulder.

I turned and couldn't speak for a few moments. After swallowing hard and clearing my throat, I finally greeted the woman. "Miss Neubauer." I couldn't help but blink in surprise a few times, then I shook myself out of my shocked state with a small laugh. "What are you doing here?"

Layla gave me a small smile. "Charles is acquainted with Prince Evans," she explained with a small shrug of thin shoulders. Her arms wrapped around her torso as if hugging herself. The action made me wonder if I made her nervous. "He hadn't had the chance to congratulate him until tonight, so we came to surprise him."

I nodded. "I see."

An awkward silence settled in between us until Layla cleared her throat. "I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Huh?" I said, immediately feeling totally classless. _Your speech is so dignified, Nat. Jeez..._

If Layla had noticed, she ignored my lack of a dignified response. "I recently caught wind of a rumor that you think I'm going to try something with Sebastian."

I sighed and shook my head. "I..." Shaking my head again, I looked around and wondered if there was an office we could duck into to speak privately. Instead of that, I said, "Look, can we talk about this outside?"

"Of course."

As Layla followed me out of the museum, I tried to calm my panicked thoughts. Had she found out about Jimmy and this was the nicest way she could bring it up? Once in the parking lot, I took a deep breath and turned to her. "Okay. Here's the thing. I don't know _what _to expect from you. All I know is that, except for the last time I saw you, I've gotten a vibe from you that says I'm _very _unliked by you." Layla's lips twitched into a small smirk. Before she could say anything, though, I continued. "I know what you and Sebastian had. I know how far it went. I know how..._connected _you are to him."

"And did he happen to tell you how _connected _he is to _me_?" she said. I detected a touch of venom in her words.

I nodded, and the smirk faded from her face completely. "He did," I answered, reinforcing my nod. "I know he was in love with you and you with him. Of _course _I'm going to feel threatened by you."

Layla's brow furrowed, and she gave me a confused frown. "You doubt his feelings for you?"

_Tread carefully, Nat. She can't know this is all fake._ I smiled lightly and shook my head. "I don't. I know how he feels about me. I suppose it's merely the insecurity of a woman who wonders how she could possibly measure up to his past loves." Layla studied me for a few moments, and I couldn't really read her expression. Breaking another impending awkward silence, I asked, "_Would _you? I mean, if given the opportunity, _would _you try to take Sebastian back?"

She seemed startled by my question. Her eyes dropped to the ground, and I noticed a new tenseness in her face. Her lips pressed tightly together, she shook her head. "I wouldn't bother," she said, her voice cold. "He wouldn't have me. He's made that clear enough time and time again."

I was the one studying her this time, and she seemed to be refusing to meet my eyes. "Why did you give the ring back?" I asked softly. My question made her finally look up at me. "Why now? After so long? You could have just kept it if you still have feelings for him. Like keeping a part of him."

She laughed bitterly. "Oh, I _have _a part of him running through my veins, remember?" Shaking her head, she looked away again. "What use do I have for his ring when he's giving himself to another?"

I shrugged. "You could have pawned it, then."

She scoffed and gave me a sideways glance. Her eyes dropped to the ground again, and I saw her shoulders slump a little. "I tried," she said in a small voice. "I couldn't. I remembered how much it meant to him, how he sounded when he told me what it was, that it was his mother's ring. He told me...he said that he'd originally planned to propose to his first love, but he couldn't because he was Embraced that same night." Layla shook her head again, still looking at the pavement. "He told me that I was the first in over a hundred years to be worthy of the ring, that I was the only one who could measure up to that girl."

For an instant, I felt sorry for Layla. Then I remembered _why _their relationship had fallen apart. That thought made me angry instead of sad. "If that was the case, why would you betray him?" I said, trying to keep my voice even and emotionless.

"The plan was in motion already. It was too late. I never expected him to propose..." She looked up with a sad smile on her face. "I guess I didn't know him as well as I thought. I thought he was more devoted to work than me. That's what made it easy to help Charles that way. It wasn't until _after _Sebastian proposed and I'd accepted that I could see it on his face when he told me he loved me. I was just blind to it until then, I suppose. Too wrapped up in other things..."

"I thought you were in love with him, too." My eyes darted up to the museum door for a moment. I wondered briefly how much more time we had out here privately before Kindred would start filing out.

"I didn't fall for him until after the proposal," Layla said with a sigh. "I let down my guard because I finally knew he really did love me. I thought I could cover my involvement in everything crumbling around him. I thought I could make it so he would run to me for comfort, and we could stay together. Everything worked so perfectly in my mind..."

Crossing my arms, I shook my head and chuckled under my breath. "So because it was all so 'perfect,' you drank from him and he from you, and everything went to hell after that."

She looked up at me angrily, then looked away again. "Essentially," she said, resigned. She didn't look away for long this time, though; and her eyes met mine as she came a couple steps closer to me. "All I wanted to say to you is that you have no reason to be suspicious of me. I'm no threat to you. I hope you and Sebastian will be very happy together." Her last words carried no sincerity.

"We would be happier if he wasn't plagued by the bond he has with you," I said in a low voice, nearly hissing my words. In spite of the openness we'd been sharing, the electricity of rivalry was beginning to crackle between us again.

Layla's head lifted a little, her eyes narrowing. "That's it, then, isn't it? That's what has you so worried. You're thinking that his attraction to my blood will tear you apart." She chuckled, smirking. "He hasn't drunk from you, then?"

Pressing my lips together, I shook my head. "He's not going to make the same mistake twice."

"But you're probably bound to him, are you not?"

"I was his ghoul first, wasn't I?" I shot back.

Her smirk grew. She looked away, her gaze staring into the dark quiet surrounding the museum parking lot. "He's quite clever, isn't he?" she mused. "He made his mistake with me, as you said; but he's refusing to make it again with you. Yet he's made _damned _sure that you're bound to _him_. Control freak..."

I laughed. "Well, he _is _Ventrue like you and I."

"Be that as it may, Sebastian's hardly one to like being submissive. Especially now that he knows the side effects of such actions." She looked at me from the corner of her eye. "Don't expect to ever feel his bite, Lucas. He won't repeat that misstep. Not if my blood 'plagues' him as you say it does."

"I'm perfectly happy without his drinking from me," I said, bristling. "Besides, he's _prince _now. He shouldn't be bound to _anyone_."

Layla scoffed but didn't say anything for a long while. "It's not as if I can do anything about it anyway," she said, almost in a whisper.

I laughed; and for a moment I wondered if the low, ominous sound had really come from me. "Even that isn't totally out of your power," I said with a smirk. "I hear a walk at sunrise will fix such a problem _very _quickly."

Her head snapped around to level her gaze on me again, dark eyes flashing with rage. "That _would _make things easier for you, wouldn't it?" she spat. "After all, you wouldn't have to get your hands dirty; and neither would Sebastian. In fact, he wouldn't have to know your involvement or suggestion at all! You could just bat those big blue eyes at him and shrug innocently. 'I don't know why she'd do such a thing, dear!' Bitch." She spoke the insult through clenched teeth, and I could see her hands balling into fists as I answered her with a smirk.

"Oh, he'd know exactly why you'd do such a thing," I said. "After all, you've lost him. You have _no _chance of getting him back. You've really got nothing to your name that makes you stand out; you're riding on Ingram's coattails. You're nothing but a trophy, dear; and everyone knows it even if you choose to pretend you _don't_. How long has it been since your Embrace? A hundred years? Close to it, at least? And your _one _chance at something big was ruined because you got too close to your victim. Face it, honey, pulling a fast one on LaCroix was the only chance you had or at least the only one you've chosen to take. And you blew it. You might as well go out and greet the sun in the morning, because things just aren't seeming to change for you." My smile got bigger as I kept talking, and Layla was eventually shaking with anger.

"You think I'll do it just because you said so?" she said finally.

"No, but I'll bet you'd do it if _he _told you to fuck off," I answered, grinning.

"_He _would never," Layla said, taking another step towards me. "_He _has more class and manners than that, something he apparently hasn't been able to teach _you _yet."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not worried about your social assessment of me, Neubauer," I told her dryly. "It's not as if anyone would listen to a word you have to say anyway."

"Do you _enjoy _burning bridges, Lucas?"

Laughing, I shook my head. "Sweetie, there was never any bridge built between us that I could burn. You and Ingram made sure of that when you skulked into LA a few years back."

"Hm. Perhaps. Still, you would be well advised to hold your tongue, _fledgeling_. No one would ever listen to a word of yours either."

"Really... Considering I had quite the hand in Prince Evans's assignment to office here, I have to wonder how accurate that statement of yours _really _is."

Layla stared at me for a few moments before slowly shaking her head. "I've said what I wanted to say," she said, turning to leave. "Stay away from me, stop following me, and leave me alone. I'll afford you the same courtesy."

As she left, I thought, _That's all well and good, but that doesn't fix the bond you have over LaCroix._ Instead of going back into the museum, I walked the rest of the way to the car in which I'd driven Miss Felina. Leaning my back against the car, I sighed. Wasn't I supposed to "make nice" with Layla? So much for that. It seemed pretty much impossible for us to be civil for more than a few moments, especially if the topic of conversation was LaCroix. "Fuck," I muttered out loud, lightly banging my fist against the car door in frustration. The impact combined with my weight against the car made the alarm begin to sound loudly, startling me and making me jump away from the car. I fumbled in my jacket pocket for the keys to shut off the alarm, which sounded ten times louder than it really was in the middle of the quiet night.

When I finally found the keys and pressed the button that brought silence back to the parking lot and surrounding streets, I heard a shrill voice breaking the new-found quiet. "Beatrice! Beatrice! Dear, you're forgetting me! Girl, you'd forget your head if it wasn't attached!"

I sighed as Miss Felina trotted up to me, seeming very distressed that I might be forgetting her and leaving without her. "I'm sorry, ma'am," I said mechanically. "You're right, of course..."


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Oh my...what's this? WHAT'S THIS? This is...the result of my husband being gone for the weekend, giving me some time to myself and privacy to write, that's what this is.**

* * *

I tried to go to bed early that night, bowing out of my duties for Prince Evans by telling him I hadn't had my drink for the night and was feeling ill for it. He didn't buy it, I knew; but he bid me a good evening and let me go. In the long run, I don't know why I even bothered. As LaCroix had once told me, we Kindred are "hard-wired" with the sun. Since sunrise was still a couple hours away, the chances of my sleeping were small. Considering my restless thoughts on top of that, and I doubted I'd sleep restfully even once the sun rose. Lying on my back in the dark bedroom, I sighed, fighting my own thoughts for a while as they tried to turn to Layla and LaCroix every moment, then giving up the fight altogether. With a grumble, I rolled onto my side and grabbed my phone from my nightstand. I sat up and turned on the small light there and stared at my phone for a long while.

Another hefty sigh escaped me; and I put the phone down on my crossed legs, still staring at its blank screen. My thoughts were running at full speed now, but I was stubbornly ignoring all of them. I only acknowledged that they were there, not what they were. It took a few moments to realize that my hands were clenched on the bedspread on either side of me. My teeth were clenched, and my lips were pressed together tightly in a thin line. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to relax and failing. As my eyes opened again and landed on my phone, I felt like the fire in my glare should have melted the thing in my lap. _He really should know about this, shouldn't he?_ I reasoned._ After all, shouldn't it be better to hear it from me than her or, worse, through the proverbial grapevine?_

_And once again, it would be my begging forgiveness for being impetuous, impatient, and brash, losing my composure, and reflecting badly on him,_ I argued with myself.

_That's going to have to happen anyway. Even if I don't mention a word about it, he'll find out eventually. Even if it's years from now, he'll find out._

Frustrated, I let out a growl and snatched up the phone again, unlocking the screen and punching the speed dial button for LaCroix with enough force to nearly break the phone. One ring...two rings...three rings... My teeth were bared as the fourth ring sounded in my ear. I was ready to press the "end" button after the fifth, then I heard his voice. "LaCroix."

"Well, you must be busy tonight," I said with a slight sneer.

There was a slight pause on the other end, and I cringed inwardly. That was no way to speak to my sire... "Not especially," LaCroix said, and I could hear the hesitation in his voice. My snapping at him must have confused him as well. "I stepped away for a moment. Is everything all right?"

His question made every bit of angry tension leave me, and I slumped down in the bed slightly. "No," I sighed, reaching over and turning the light back off. I felt better in the dark. Less exposed. "No, not entirely."

LaCroix sighed. "What is it?" he asked. He didn't quite sound irritated or annoyed, but he didn't exactly sound concerned either. Tired of dealing with me, perhaps? I pushed my strange insecurity out of my head and explained what had happened earlier that night. I didn't dress it up or sugar coat it or try to make me sound like the "good guy." LaCroix knew me better than that; he would have seen through every word. When I'd finished the recount, the prince stayed silent; and my bottom lip found its way between my teeth. I silently pleaded with him to say something. Finally, he did. "How...convenient."

I blinked into the darkness. "Convenient?" I repeated dumbly. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Think for a moment. She just _happens_ to be at the same event that you're attending even though it's out of the area in which we know she and Ingram are staying."

I shrugged. "She said that Ingram and Prince Evans are acquainted," I said.

"True, I'm sure, but did you see Charles with your own eyes?"

Blinking again, I shook my head before speaking. "No...but that doesn't mean he wasn't there." I chuckled then, leaning back against the bed's headboard. "Prince LaCroix, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to speak to my suspicious nature by feeding these ideas into my head that Layla was seeking me out for some reason."

"And if she was?"

I paused. "I don't understand."

"Humor me for a moment, Miss Lucas," LaCroix sighed, a touch of that familiar annoyed tone coming through finally. "Why would she be trying to find you?"

"She said she wanted to speak to me," I said, speaking slowly as I thought. "She knew about the rumors and wanted me to know that whatever measures I'd taken against her were unnecessary, that she was no threat." Before LaCroix could say something, I added quickly, "But why go through the trouble of coming to Sacramento just to tell me that? Hell, she could have gone to you and told you that she wanted me to leave her alone! I'd think that would have been easier."

He chuckled. "Possibly, Miss Lucas, _she_ was trying to bury the hatchet, so to speak?" I rolled my eyes but didn't answer. "Perhaps she wanted to make peace herself, just the same as you'd been thinking the other night; and instead, she was met with animosity and suspicion."

I scoffed. "What, you think she was trying to make _friends_ with me?" I asked dryly.

"I think she was trying to get you out of her life in the most polite way she knew how," LaCroix said, his voice low. I knew that tone of voice. He was ready to show me just how pissed off he was with me. "And somewhere through the conversation, you made a remark—just a _single_ remark—that told her that she would never have even the slightest ounce of respect from you, not even the _facade_ of polite behavior."

I was starting to be angry again myself. "What has she _ever_ done to gain my respect?" I asked sharply. "If you count giving your ring back as a noble action on her part, that's fine; but it's going to take a lot more than that to get the stain of her first impression off my mind."

"She is _Ventrue_," LaCroix sighed. "The same as you or I. Yes, there are rivalries amongst clanmates. However, to be so _blatant_ about it, Miss Lucas-"

"Oh, shove it, LaCroix," I growled into the phone. "I don't need another lecture. I called to tell you what happened so you wouldn't hear some inflated account of it from someone else. That's it. I didn't want your opinion-" Lie. "-your support-" I'd known I wouldn't have that anyway. "-and least of all, your blow-hard lectures. I know I screwed things up_ yet again_." I laughed bitterly. "But hey, if I didn't fly off the handle and make a mess of things, it just wouldn't be me, right? You wouldn't even know your own childe at that point!" I was shaking now, and even I didn't understand why I was so angry. I wasn't even sure if I was angry at myself or at him or at Layla or what. "The day you no longer have need to lecture me, LaCroix, is the day you can stake me out for sunrise," I said, my voice raising in volume. "I am _sick_ of having to act like a holier-than-thou Ventrue when I'm obviously no better than mud on your fucking shoe. Why try to trick myself into thinking I'm some grandiose creature when I'm just an errand girl? A fucking chauffeur! That's what I was tonight, LaCroix. A goddamned chauffeur for a fucking Malkavian. I don't _want_ this anymore!" I deflated then, out of words, out of thoughts, and out of energy. I curled my knees to my chest and rested my head on them. Even now, I'm unsure why I didn't hang up the phone after my outburst. Maybe it was my connection to him, still needing to hear his voice even after I'd essentially told him to fuck off.

A few seconds of silence went by, then I heard him sigh. "Do you think I enjoy this any more than you?" he asked, his tone a strange kind of soft. "I don't _enjoy_ having my phone ring and answering it to find out you're nearing an emotional breakdown." He paused, then continued. "You've _never_ acted like a—as you put it-'holier than thou Ventrue,' Natalie. I believe every time you think you've acted like that are the times in which you've behaved as you have tonight: childishly and harshly." He paused again, letting that sink it; and it did. I buried my head into my knees a little more as he went on. "Your words are very telling of your opinion of the Ventrue clan; but allow me to remind you that, even in spite of whatever your opinion may be, you still _are_ part of the Ventrue clan. And no matter what you do or say, you will be until you meet your Final Death. You can't redefine the Ventrue and what we stand for. You can either accept it and make it a part of you or die. It's completely your choice."

I chuckled weakly. "I don't know if I should take that as a threat or not," I said.

"Not at all. However, the more enemies you make of your own clanmates, the more likely it is that you will meet your end by their doing."

"I'm sorry," I whispered. Somehow, I knew I should have felt regretful for calling him; but somehow this talk was making me feel better. Then I suddenly knew why: I felt lost. I needed guidance. Misbehaving was the only way I knew to get it. I sighed and leaned back against the headboard again. "I'm sorry I reflect badly on you."_ God, I could use a hug right now,_ I thought, then I chuckled due to the surprising suddenness of the thought and how out of place it felt.

"What are you laughing at?"

I shook my head though he couldn't see me. "I...I think I'm tired," I said. "I don't have much control over my thoughts right now. Inappropriate timing for something that came into my head, that's all."

"You don't seem to have much control over _yourself_," he pointed out.

I groaned inwardly and curled up again, this time propping my chin on my knees. The first words that came to my head left my mouth unbidden. "I want to come home."

"Why?"

"I can't do this," I bemoaned. "I need you."

A couple seconds of silence, then I heard him chuckle softly. "Here's a bit of perspective for you," he said. "Take that feeling and imagine how it feels to have that at the forefront of your mind for months. Years." I bit my bottom lip while imagining it. "Imagine that and top it with no phone calls, no communication, nothing." Unconsciously, I whimpered slightly. He chuckled again. "Now imagine having gone through that and suddenly seeing the person whom you feel you need most and not being able to revel in their presence. Knowing that the person you've longed for all this time wants nothing to do with you."

"I know where you're going," I said, softly. "You want me to sympathize with Layla. You're trying to show me why I should lay off."

"That's one angle," he said. "Now, imagine it again, but from the other side. Same connection, same longing; but when you see the person who sets off your every nerve just by making eye contact, you loathe yourself for the need over which you have no control. You want nothing more than to let go of the addiction, and you can't. You're trapped within your skin; and the only thing you can do is harden yourself and set your whole sense of being outside your body, leaving the bare minimum of yourself necessary to interact in a way that most would see as 'normal' for you."

"Please...stop..." I begged. I didn't want to hear how his bond to Layla felt to him. I didn't want to hear him talking about how hard it was to fight. What if he stopped being able to fight it someday? What would happen to me?

"These things...may happen to you someday," he said, breaking into my rapidly downward-spiraling thoughts. "You're incredibly young, Natalie. You will fall. Many times. One of those falls may be into a mistake like my own, though I hope I've taught you well enough that it won't come to that." He paused. "I wouldn't ever wish that on you."

His words made me feel melancholy. Then I chuckled. "You want to know something funny about that?" I asked.

I could picture his eyebrow raising as I heard his slightly curious yet suspicious reply, "What's funny?"

"If I were to make that same mistake...well, I think I already have."

He laughed under his breath. "Perhaps that's true. And if it is, than I am sorry."

"For what?" An apology from LaCroix? And as I'd asked, for what?

"You are my childe. Not my lover. Remember?"

"I know..." My lips pressed together a little more tightly. He couldn't just let me pretend for a moment longer?

"Maybe it's time for our charade to come to an end," he mused. "It's becoming a detriment to your advancement."

So cold and businesslike. "Whatever you see fit, Sire," I said mechanically.

His laugh surprised me. "You can't decide _what_ you want to be, can you?" he asked, confusing me. As if he sensed my confusion through the phone, he said, "One moment, you're telling me off; and the next, you're willing to do whatever I say. You don't know if you want to be your own person—whatever you deem that to be—or my childe. As if they can't be the same thing."

"They can't," I said, my words muffled against my legs. "I can't act like the person I've always been without shaming you in some way."

"I don't believe that."

His reply surprised me, making me sit up straight. "What?"

"I don't believe that. This way of life can absolutely drain someone of all personality, forcing them into a mold that makes them absolutely unremarkable. It's happened to so many Ventrue. But I don't see that happening to you." His voice had a quality that made me wish I could see him in person. I imagined that glimmer in his eyes that he got whenever he was excited about something or planning something. In turn, it made _me_ excited. Who needs motivational speakers when you've got Sebastian LaCroix on the other line? "You're fighting right now to find some way for the person you've always been to coexist with your Ventrue blood. It will probably take _years_, possibly _decades_ for that conflict to calm within you; but you're Kindred now." His voice lowered to nearly a whisper. "_You have that time_."

I mulled his words over in my mind. "What about you?" I asked. "Did you have the same conflicts?"

He hesitated. "In a sense, we all do," he said, and I thought he was dodging my question at first. "But yes. Remember that I was younger than you when I was embraced. And in love. I resented my sire for years, and my entire being was controlled by that. You can only imagine how much trouble that got me into, I'm sure."

I giggled, trying to picture it in my head. Somehow, I thought that maybe that youthful nature of LaCroix hadn't quite left him as completely as he liked to think; especially with the temper he could have. I wasn't about to tell him that, though. "How did you move past it?" I asked.

"Realize, Natalie, that you were at your best and seemed to be most comfortable when you were working towards setting a Ventrue as prince of Sacramento," LaCroix said. "I moved past mine the same way I'm sure you'll move past yours: busying ourselves with ventures that consume us and challenge us and leave no room for those inner conflicts. Through those challenges, we begin to rebuild ourselves, molding ourselves into a blend of our mortal past and our Kindred present." I grinned. LaCroix's voice was taking on his "great speech-maker" tone. "Those who mold themselves after that which the clan expects of them and nothing else turn out to be bland and nothing extraordinary. In these nights, you _must_ be extraordinary to survive. You have to show that you have something special to offer to gain the power on which we _thrive_."

"And you think I have that something special?" I prodded. Yes, I was fishing for compliments. I needed them that night, and LaCroix seemed in a mood to deliver.

"I wouldn't have embraced you if I didn't," he said. "I think you may be somewhat influenced by my own...lapses in patience at times, and that's where these feelings of hopelessness are coming from. For that, I do beg your forgiveness. To make you doubt yourself by passing my own shortcomings off on you is a grave disservice that a sire should never place on his childe."

"It's okay," I whispered, grinning. I cleared my throat so I could speak without squeaking excitedly at his praise and humility towards me—_me_! Getting a very formal apology from Sebastian LaCroix, Camarilla Prince of Los Angeles and my sire! "I've never been the most patient person either..."

LaCroix cleared his throat as well, and I wondered if he was ashamed or embarrassed by feeling the need to apologize like he had. "Yes, well...you mentioned you wanted to come back to Los Angeles. Are you...continuing to plan for that?"

"As soon as possible," I said, then thought for a moment. "Though, I really should finish out the time I committed to Prince Evans. It's only right, and I don't want to be thought of as unreliable."

I heard LaCroix chuckled. "Good girl," he said softly, and I nearly started purring.

"I miss you," I whispered.

Again, he laughed lightly. "You are, quite possibly, the most _affectionate_ Kindred I've ever known. The most affectionate _Ventrue_ if nothing else."

I pouted a little. "You don't hate it, I hope..."

He sighed. "No, my dear, I can't say I do." At that, I lost control and let out a small, quick squeak. LaCroix laughed out loud.

"I...er...sorry," I stammered, covering my face with my hand. _Nice one, Nat..._

"No, not at all," he said, still chuckling. "I don't know what kind of sound that was; but it sounded happy, I suppose..."

"Yeah, you do that to me sometimes," I said, knowing it was risky to say.

LaCroix made a small, thoughtful sound. "You know...it was never my intention to get you caught up in such a...a thrall, as it were." A slight pause, then I heard a sharp intake of breath from the other end and a very quiet, "Ouch..."

"What?" I asked, fully alert. "What happened?"

"Er...n—nothing. Just...nothing." My lack of response seemed to tell him that I wasn't buying it. Speaking quickly, he said, "Turned my chair too quickly and caught my hand between the armrest and desk, that's all."

I snickered lightly. "Why, Prince, I've never known you to be _clumsy_," I chided.

"Hmph," was his only response, and I knew better than to poke further at him in spite of any amusement it promised.

"You must be tired," I offered as an excuse for him. "I've put you behind in your work too much tonight, and sunrise is coming. My apologies, Prince."

"Assure me that my time speaking to you was not wasted, and you're forgiven," he bargained.

I laughed. "It wasn't. I'm glad I called."

"Good morning to you, then," he said.

"Good morning, Prince," I said, smiling. "Rest peacefully."

"And you." The line went dead, and I was tired, but I was happy again. This time I acknowledged my thoughts fully.

_You're just happy because you heard his voice._

_Not just that._

_Because he seems to like your being affectionate?_

_Oh yes...yes, that makes me **very** happy._

_Isn't that a little...weird, though?_

_Nah. It's been a long time since anyone's cared about him. He's probably missed it._

_Yeah...keep telling yourself that._

I snorted a light laugh at myself as I lay back down. I wondered briefly if LaCroix was actually one of those Malkavians who thought himself to be Ventrue. It'd make sense with as much as I, his childe, talk to myself...

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**Another A/N: Confession time—this is possibly the scariest chapter I've posted so far, just because it's been almost a year since I've updated. This was a lot of nothing, I know, not much REAL content added to the story here in the long run. I guess it's kinda testing the waters and getting back in touch with these characters a bit. After Sunday (8-28-11), updates will probably become very few and far between again; but we'll see.**


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Thanks, as always, guys, for the reviews and for reading. It's encouraging to know that I haven't completely lost touch with these characters. After this chapter, sadly, it may be another little while before an update; but I'm hoping it won't be too very long. Enjoy, and thanks again!**

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Sleep must have reset my emotions. While normally, I would be glad of such a thing, it proved bothersome as I continued going over the previous night's conversation with LaCroix while trying to get work done. He seemed to know everything that was going on, even though it was outside of his city. He knew where every piece on the chess board was and where it would go. It was as if _he'd_ orchestrated my chance meeting with Layla. Or, perhaps, he knew how to feign a level of confidence in his own words that would make me believe anything that came out of his mouth and make me feel like an idiot for questioning his reasoning. And then there was his lenience towards me whenever I started getting emotional. I didn't know if my somewhat mortal—what, flaw? Bad habit?- of succumbing to my emotions before using my brain confused him or if he was playing it safe by essentially pulling me back to him with sweet words and encouragement whenever my emotions threatened to distract me too much. Of course, the prince was no stranger to emotion, though the one I was sure he most commonly felt was anger.

I growled in frustration as I once more realized how behind I was in my work thanks to my wandering thoughts about LaCroix. Putting my pen down on my desk, I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms, tucking my chin against my chest. Fine. I'd think on it in full, then get back to my work... But no matter how much I thought, I couldn't figure out any answers to any of my questions. And what in the _world_ happened to draw that slight gasp and verbal expression of pain from him at the end of our phone call? I didn't believe for a single moment that he'd gotten clumsy. It wasn't like him at all. I'd accepted his answer just to avoid getting myself into more trouble by arguing with him and essentially calling him a liar.

Sitting forward now, I crossed my arms on my desk and laid my head on them with a groan. This was getting me nowhere and bringing nothing but frustration. I wished briefly that I'd stayed in New York and never gotten the bright idea to move to Santa Monica. No...no, I couldn't think that. If I'd never moved, I would have never met Mercurio; and I wouldn't have traded that for anything, no matter how many lifetimes I'd have to deal with LaCroix.

My convoluted thoughts were interrupted by a knock on my office's door. Lifting my head, I saw Prince Evans in the doorway; and I remembered that I hadn't closed the door behind me when I'd gotten to work that night. "I hope I'm not interrupting some...private introspection," he said with a slight smile.

I shook my head and sat up with a chuckle; but inside, I was embarrassed that he'd caught me in such a hopeless looking position. No way for a Ventrue to be seen, especially by another Ventrue. "Not at all, Prince," I replied.

"I wonder whatever could make you adopt such a position..." he mused, slowly coming into the office with his hands clasped behind his back. "'_Ill_' last night, seemingly tired or despairing over something this evening..."

My lips pressed together a bit tighter as a wave of offense went over me. "I'm quite fine, I assure you," I said, trying to keep my voice casual.

"You've seemed distracted these past several nights, Miss Lucas," he pointed out, passing my desk to look out the window behind me, but not before giving me a sidelong glance. "I can't help but think you're growing tired of being here."

_Okay, is mind-reading some Ventrue discipline LaCroix conveniently forgot to tell me about?_ "Not at all, Prince," I said, making an attempt at sounding convincing. "I confess that I _do_ miss Prince LaCroix greatly, but I would think that's something to be expected somewhat. After all, this is the first time I've left his side since before my embrace."

"Perhaps," he said, without facing me. "However, I feel your...attachment to him may be becoming something of a detriment to your work here. You're obviously distracted." I opened my mouth to protest, but closed it again when he turned with a smile. "Admittedly, though, I haven't had much besides the mundane to keep you busy."

I smiled back at him. "I apologize, Prince," I said with a small bow of my head. "I haven't given your tasks the attention they deserve. Mundane or not, they're tasks to be done for you; and I haven't been treating them as such." I could tell that the conversation could easily turn towards his sending me home, and I wasn't about to let that happen. To go home now would be a failure, especially after LaCroix essentially told me it was preferable for me as a Ventrue to stay and finish my promised tenure with Prince Evans.

He chuckled. "Perhaps, but you're Prince LaCroix's childe," he said. "It's understandable that such things would bore you easily."

I frowned. "Regardless of whose childe I am, there is no excuse for me to be treating the tasks assigned to me by a Prince as unimportant and anything but top priority."

The prince chuckled again and walked towards me, stopping a couple paces away and raising his chin in that same haughty manner that LaCroix has used when he's felt self-satisfied. "Ah, but they _aren't_ top priority to you, are they, Miss Lucas?" I began to argue, but he lifted a finger to keep me silent. "Your _prince_ is your top priority." He lowered his head to look at me straight on now, and I felt the same stab of dread that I did whenever LaCroix was about to unleash fury on me. It was that moment that made me realize that all Ventrue are the same: deep down, no matter what kind impression they have given for ages, they're all cold, manipulative, and looking for any way to take the footing out from under another Kindred to expand their own sense of self-worth. "You should pack your things, Miss Lucas," Prince Evans said, his voice low and quiet. "I have nothing for you to do that can distract you from your affection for your prince any longer."

My hands gripped the armrests of my chair tightly as I nodded shortly and said, "Yes, Prince."_ Failure. You're a fucking failure, Nat. All because of your feelings for LaCroix._

Prince Evans looked at me for a moment longer, then walked towards the door of my office. Then he stopped and turned just enough to look at me over his shoulder. "Oh, and one more thing." Now he turned to look at me, lifting his chin and looking down his nose at me. Once more, he reminded me of LaCroix. "Perhaps Prince LaCroix forgot to touch on this during your _Agoge_ due to your closeness to him; but it is customary, Miss Lucas, to rise from one's seat when a prince enters the room, especially when he is addressing you specifically."

I gritted my teeth._ Just one more stab to make sure I'm completely in my place, eh, Prince?_ "My deepest apologies, sir," I said, struggling to keep the words from coming through clenched teeth. Without another word, Sacramento's prince left the room, closing the door behind him. I gritted my teeth angrily and shoved away from my desk, standing now and going to the window. After giving myself a few moments to calm down, I went back to my desk and picked up my cell phone, pressing one of the speed dial numbers.

"Boss?" I couldn't help but smile at the way Jimmy had answered. At least I was higher on the proverbial totem pole than _someone_ on this planet...

"I'm returning to Los Angeles tonight," I told him, walking back to the window to look at the city one last time as I spoke to him. "I want you to pick me up at the airport when I arrive."

"Yes, ma'am," he said obediently. Then, after a pause, "Um...then what?"

I chuckled, but rolled my eyes. "Then, you're to take me to Venture Tower. And I trust that I don't have to stress that you must ensure we arrive at the tower before sunrise..."

"Oh, yeah, of course." He paused again. "Um, boss?"

My eyes rolled again, and I sighed. "Yes?"

"It's...uh, it's been a while."

At first, the sentence confused me, then it occurred to me what he was talking about. "It hasn't quite been two months since you had a drink," I told him.

"I know, but...when Cherise was my...um...owner?...uh-"

"_Regent_," I corrected him. "And she's dead, remember? She's no longer your regent. I am."

"Yeah, I know, but...um...she used to give me my blood once a month..."

I sighed again. _Great...I've gotten me a greedy ghoul._ "Once a month. And now you're requesting the same from me, is that correct?"

"Um...yes?"

I pursed my lips in thought. _I could go off on him for having the nerve to make requests when he's barely been my ghoul for any time at all. After all, who does he think he is to tell **me** how often he should receive blood? Then again, he **was** a ghoul previously and isn't exactly new to this lifestyle. Plus, he was previously an anarch ghoul. If I deny his request, it will most assuredly work against me. His loyalties to the anarchs will only be reinforced, painting the Camarilla—and through me, LaCroix- as fascist bastards to overthrow. And, the more often he has blood, the faster he'll be completely bonded to me._ "All right, Jimmy," I said, a slight smile on my face. "I _was_ going to be controlling your blood intake as my own regent had with me when_ I_ was a ghoul, but I suppose some consideration to your previous habits should be taken in this case. You'll get your blood when we get to Venture Tower."

"Issat _all_ I'm gonna be getting when we get there?" he asked, and I could hear the grin behind his voice.

For a third time during the conversation, my eyes rolled._ He's flirting now? And implying sexual favors from me, at that? Ugh...humans._ I blinked in surprise at my last thought before answering him. "Yes, Jimmy. That will be all. Remember whose tower that is..."

"Uh...yeah...ha, forgot. Sorry." All flirtation left his voice, and he sounded nervous again. "Probably wouldn't be a good idea to fuck around there, huh..."

"Not in the slightest," I replied, holding back a chuckle. "I'll call you again a little later with my flight's arrival time. Do _not_ be late to the airport."

"Yes, ma'am."

I hung up with him and went to my computer to look up the phone number for the local taxi service. After that call, I looked up a flight to Los Angeles that would be taking off soon and made a call to the airline to buy my ticket. By the time I got off the phone, I was seething. The _prices_ for such a short flight! Unbelievable... With a disgusted shake of my head, I gathered the few personal effects that had found their way into my office and went to my suite to pack the rest of my things.

I shifted uncomfortably in the airplane seat. I'd taken the liberty of buying first class, but I still found it cramped compared to LaCroix's private jet. Plus, the cacophony of humanity around me was enough to nearly choke me. I couldn't wait to be back in Los Angeles, but the damned plane was late in taking off! Looking out the window next to me, I chewed my lip nervously for a few moments, then stopped for fear one of my fangs might show itself accidentally.

The woman sitting next to me touched my arm lightly and leaned over. "First time flying?" she asked, smiling.

I looked at her hand on my arm, then up at her. "No," I replied simply, then turned back to the window.

"Oh. You just looked nervous. Are you okay?"

_Great. I get to sit next to the nosy human._ "Everything is fine," I replied, this time not bothering to look in her direction.

"Gonna be late for something important if we don't take off soon, right?" she asked, and I gritted my teeth in annoyance.

I pasted a small smile on my face and turned towards her again. "Yes. And if I'm late..." I shook my head. "I don't even want to think about it..."

"Ooo, work thing?"

I chuckled. "No...no, it's...not important." I leveled my gaze with hers, looking directly into her eyes. "I hope I can_ sleep through the flight_."

She smiled slightly, but it was broken by a wide yawn. "I know what you mean," she said, her words slightly slurring. She slumped down in her seat as much as her seatbelt would allow, leaned her head back against the seat, and fell asleep. I smiled and turned towards the window, satisfied with my Domination but still worried about how long it was taking for this flight to leave. If we were to land in Los Angeles even a moment too late, all that would be in my seat would be a pile of ash; and the Masquerade would be in serious danger.

With a sigh, I tried to calm myself. The flight would only be an hour long once we got in the air...we had plenty of time. I asked myself why I hadn't called LaCroix to have his plane pick me up, then nearly laughed out loud. Easy answer: I didn't want to have to tell him _why_ I needed his plane to pick me up. Not over the phone, anyway. This sort of disgrace would be easier to take in person, I figured, though I couldn't fully understand the reasoning of it. I didn't look forward to telling him what had happened, yet I was happy to be going home early.

Overall, however, things didn't look good for me. No matter what work I'd do, the stigma of being Prince LaCroix's childe would follow me, making people whisper that I'd been coddled and treated with too much favor, that I'd only benefit from him and not from my own doings. No, perhaps it wasn't because of being his childe...it would be for being his lover. _"Maybe it's time for our charade to come to an end,"_ he'd said the previous night._ "It's becoming a detriment to your advancement."_ Again, it was just as if he'd known how things would transpire, as if he'd put everything in place himself. Whether he had been serious in his statement or not, nothing could change the fact that he was right. I wanted nothing more than to prove him wrong, to prove them all wrong. But the ever-existant question echoed in my mind as it had been since my _Agoge_: How?

After all, there was no denying my distraction. And really, I'd been unable to keep my own unspoken promises to myself. I couldn't stop thinking about him, and I'd called him when I was supposed to take my time in Sacramento as a separation from my addiction. Instead, I fed it. I gave in to it. To him. To his blood in my veins. I licked my lips unconsciously, suddenly wanting to taste him again and feel his blood freshly flowing through me, warming me as nothing else has since my embrace. And those sounds he makes while I take it...

I bit my tongue hard to snap myself out of my reverie._ Not the time to be thinking about this, Nat,_ I reminded myself. _He's either going to be insufferably smug or absolutely incensed when he finds out why you're back in LA. Either way, you aren't getting a drink from him anytime soon._

My thoughts were broken by the plane's jet engines revving up. We'd be taking off soon. Finally. I settled back in my seat and stared out the window at the runway lights, going back to my musings. _Okay, so let's say we **do** quit this whole "lover" thing. I'd have to move out of the tower. Not sure where, but he'd probably take care of that. Probably. Would I still work for him? Possibly. Again, that's up to him. It might look shady, but not if word spread that we'd separated amicably..._

I snorted in amusement. _Right...like anyone who knew LaCroix would believe that could happen. But after we've separated...would Layla make a move?_ Clenching my teeth, I shook my head hard as if to physically remove the thought from my head. _She said herself that he wouldn't have her. And besides, so what if she did? He's not mine, and stopping this game would reinforce that. He'd probably still have me drink from him to keep our bond strong, being the control freak that he is. And where does that leave me? Still hopelessly obsessed with him. No matter how we present ourselves to the public, it's his blood that's causing my credibility to die. It's due to this fucking bond! I obsess over him, ruin things for myself to bring myself close to him once more, at least in proximity if not in favor, and lose more and more _dignitas_ for it._

_He can't have planned this. He had to have been telling the truth when he said that he'd not intended me to be caught up in this kind of a thrall. This has no good ending for **him** either. Not if I can't show him to be a competent sire by proving myself to be independent and worth something to the entire clan, not just him._ I sighed and leaned my head back against the seat, closing my eyes._ How could you have foreseen that this would go so wrong, Sebastian? And when it finally comes completely clear that nothing's gone to plan, what will become of me? Will you kill me yourself? Have me killed? It's really the only way to get me out of your hair once and for all..._

By the time I reached Los Angeles, I'd dug myself into quite a depression. Jimmy greeted me with a bright, lop-sided grin. I glared at him and stalked to the car he'd brought—of _course_ he'd own a Jeep. I didn't answer any of his attempts to make conversation, and finally the car fell silent as he sped towards Venture tower. There were two hours before sunrise by the time we reached the tower. Jimmy followed me inside, carrying my bags for me. Wordlessly, I guided him into the elevator and rode with him to my floor. I stopped him just outside the elevator doors, biting into my wrist and offering it to him. "I know this is what you've followed me this far for, so take it," I grumbled.

The ghoul did as he was told, drinking slowly and seeming to savor the flavor of my blood; but he never took his eyes off mine except when his eyes rolled back in his head and closed while he let out a quiet moan. I let him drink his fill, not really caring how much he took, idly wondering if it was possible for a human to drain a vampire the same way a vampire could drain their human prey. Finally, Jimmy looked up and licked his lips, his hand still holding mine with a thumb slowly stroking my palm. "Something's wrong," he said.

I gave him a weak smile and gently took my hand out of his, licking the wound closed. "Yes," I replied, not having the will to lie at the moment. "But it has nothing to do with you. I'll handle it."

He studied me, turquoise eyes trying to figure out what was going on. "If there's anything I can do to help..."

Chuckling, I placed my hands on his shoulders. "You're my ghoul, Jimmy," I reminded him. "I know you'll do anything I ask you to."

"I would even if I wasn't, though," he said.

_This...sounds familiar..._ I laughed softly again and pulled him into a hug. I needed a hug so badly, and I knew I wouldn't get one from LaCroix. When I pulled back, I took Jimmy's face between my hands. "It's the blood saying that, Jimmy. Soon, you won't remember how you got by without me; but it's all just in the blood. There's nothing there. Nothing at all." I wondered if I was trying to get the concept through his head or my own. At seeing his sad, worried expression, I pulled him down into another quick hug and stepped back this time when we separated. I gave him a small smile. "Go," I told him, jerking my head towards the elevator. "Get some sleep. I'll call you when I need you." He nodded and left without a word; but he patted my shoulder as he passed, making me smile. It was nice to have a little humanity shown towards me for once... I remembered, as I picked up my bags and walked to the door of my suite, that the woman on the plane had tried to show concern for me; and I'd brushed her away as an annoyance. Why was Jimmy different? Perhaps it was my deteriorated emotional state. With a sigh, I deposited my bags in my living room then left again, steeling myself for my surprise appearance in LaCroix's office.

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**A/N 2: Oh, I hope you don't hate me too much for that ending to the chapter when I've already said it might be a little bit before the next. LOL It was either that or evil TL;DR chapter of DOOM. Plus, I ran out of time to delve into the office visit. Next time, loves! I'll try to not stay away too long!**


	38. Chapter 38

I placed my hand on the handle of the door to LaCroix's office and paused. Habit wanted me to take a deep breath. I fought it. I had no need for such things, and it wouldn't help my situation. These human habits needed to stop. _But what about when dealing with kine?_ I asked myself. _It's necessary then._

_Shut up. No time._ I brought my chin up a notch and opened the door. LaCroix didn't look up immediately. He was squinting at something on a computer screen in front of him. I closed the door softly and was walking towards his desk when he finally looked at me. Within a few short moments, I watched his face shift from surprise to confusion to suspicion and finally to a blank mask. All he said was, "Miss Lucas."

Giving a solemn nod of greeting, I replied, "Prince LaCroix."

He gave me a few moments to say more, but I didn't. He studied me in silence, then leaned back in his chair. "I thought we had already discussed your returning early and decided it was not the best action to take at this time."

"We did,"I replied shortly. "Prince Evans decided it would be better for me to return to Los Angeles sooner rather than later."

LaCroix's eyes narrowed slightly. "Really? And why is that?"

_Here we go..._ I raised my chin a little higher, refusing to give in to my nervousness. "He felt I was too distracted to be of any further usefulness to him."

My sire raised an eyebrow. "Distracted? By what?"

"You." LaCroix openly frowned now, and his eyes left mine as he looked around the room and processed this new information. I spoke again, "Rather, my...attachment to you."

His frame relaxed a little when he heard my clarification. He looked at me again, and his expression was thoughtful this time. "Do you agree with his assessment?" he asked.

My lips pressed together a little more tightly before I answered. "Yes, sir."

We studied each other in silence for a few seconds, then the silence was broken by a quiet chuckle from LaCroix. He rubbed his forehead with one hand as he spoke. "So I am to blame for your unsatisfactory performance..."

Before he could say any more, I shook my head and stepped closer to his desk. "No, Prince, not at all," I protested. "I'm the one who hasn't tried hard enough to concentrate. I...I'm too...romantic, I guess." I finished with a weak chuckle and shrug.

LaCroix gave another quiet chuckle and shook his head. "And this is one of those times when I'm chastising myself for _not_ trying harder to break those all-too-human habits and emotions of yours," he said as he rose from his chair. He looked at me and shook his head again. "I never thought that allowing you to have this..._attachment_ in this way would be so constantly the cause of your failures during your first few years as Ventrue. I'd thought of it very little, in truth. I wonder if it would have gone this way had we not been caught up in our charade."

My eyes dropped to the floor, my confidence starting to wither. "You'd mentioned the other night that perhaps it would be time to end it," I reminded him softly.

He snorted, the sound making me look up and see him waving my comment away with a hand as he walked around his desk. "That would have no effect," he said. "It was a comment in passing, nothing on which I'd intended to act."

"No effect?" I repeated. "Of course it would. We'd separate, I'd no longer live in the tower, there would be space between us that would essentially wean me from you."

Shaking his head, he smirked at me. "Do you realize how long it would take to wean you from me, Miss Lucas?" he asked, his hands behind his back as he looked down his nose at me. "You're fully bound to me. If you were having problems concentrating in Sacramento all of a sudden, it's because you were craving to reinforce the bond. You can't control it. You can either choose to work through it as best as you can and _hope_ for the craving to fade—which it will after a _very_ long time—;or you can allow your the blood to make your decision for you and attempt to indulge it in any way possible, including jeopardizing your work. Your inattentiveness was likely subconsciously on purpose to force your early return."

My jaw dropped. "I...no! That can't be possible!" I argued. "Now that this has happened, you look like the too-lenient sire who has a childe who will never be more than a trophy on his arm. Nothing of a Ventrue in my own right! I would never cause that to happen on purpose!"

He raised a finger with a smug look on his face. "Not _intentionally_, perhaps. _Subconsciously_, as I said, very likely."

Shaking my head slowly, I stared at the hardwood floor, not really seeing anything. "Then that just means that I _have_ to be separated from you. I can't keep making you look like a fool for embracing me."

I heard him sigh; then I felt his finger under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. "Eventually, yes, that would be a prudent thing to do," he said. "But remember that this will take time. And we Kindred have _much_ more than others. You're not rushed in this life, Natalie."

I thought his words over for a moment, then said, "I know, but can't your reputation be ruined in a mere moment?"

He smirked. "Be that as it may, it isn't beyond repair. As long as you're _careful_, it won't be." His thumb caressed my cheek, making my eyes flutter closed as I enjoyed his touch. I heard him chuckle at my reaction. "You're still learning, Miss Lucas. A fledgeling. You will be for many more years. Yes, you will take a toll on my _dignitas_, likely, and even moreso on your own. However, during those trials, I have faith that you will learn what it will take to rebuild it and come out stronger for it. A few failures in preparation for a monumental success someday. Your patience needs work, and we will address that through the years. You also must learn how to outwardly seem humbled by the words and actions like being sent home early by Prince Evans, but inwardly realize that they're attempting to undermine your confidence in yourself. A Ventrue who stakes herself for sunrise out of humiliation is one less competitor on the chessboard."

Opening my eyes, I met his gaze. "They're trying to make me falter and give up," I clarified, making LaCroix's smile a little bigger as he nodded once. "And I need to show them eventually that it didn't work." Another nod in answer. Feeling a flash of anger at the fact that Prince Evans had succeeded for a short time in taking away my self-confidence, I spoke next through clenched teeth. "Shove my success in their smug faces..."

LaCroix chuckled, but he gripped my chin a little tighter to bring my attention back to him fully. "Yes, but without attacking their _dignitas_," he said seriously. "You aren't likely to be in a war with anyone for a long while. While you want to prove them wrong and surprise them with just how wrong they were, you want to gain their respect from it rather than their ire. To go the latter route will automatically make enemies out of their allies, whether you've had any interaction with them or not. The last thing you want to do is burn bridges too early."

Nodding, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes again. "Calm, cool-headed, and respectful."

"Exactly," LaCroix whispered. I felt his breath on my face when he spoke, and I opened my eyes as he touched his lips to mine. My head spun. I'd been expecting to face the wrath of LaCroix. Again, though, he seemed to have expected this. He wasn't upset at all and was drawing me into a deeper kiss that was almost heating my stagnant blood. I was beyond confused and wasn't sure if he was merely trying to distract me or...

He pulled back then, and I couldn't hold back a laugh. "Did you miss me?" I asked softly, a small smirk curving the corners of my mouth. Smiling, he looked away while still holding me in his arms, as if he was taking a moment to think of a suitable response. I raised an eyebrow as I saw him bite his bottom lip in thought; then he jerked, bringing a hand up to his mouth and letting me go. "What?" I asked, automatically reaching for his arm to pull his hand away from his face. He grunted under his breath with a sharp shake of his head, and he tried to shake me off. I was going to persist, but then I smelled his blood. A very light tinge on the air, but it was unmistakeable. Unconsciously, I licked my lips, then said, "You caught your lip with a fang, didn't you..." His eyes landed on me, an annoyed look on his face. This time, when I reached up, he let me pull his hand down. He'd already healed whatever wound he'd made, but I already knew I was right. I chuckled. "Bad habit, Sebastian." He frowned more deeply; and I laughed again, recognizing the expression as more of a pout than a reproach. Curving my hand around the back of his neck, I pulled him down into another kiss; but this time, I bit down on his lip with my fangs, holding him in place when he tried to jerk back from me again due to the sharp pain. He stopped resisting quickly, however, when I gently suckled his lip to draw his blood into my mouth. Upon his taste hitting my tongue, I sighed happily and slid my free arm around him to pull our bodies together. His hands landed on my waist for a few seconds, then he pulled away.

Finally speaking, he said in a low voice, "Evil girl."

I smirked in reply. "You're the one who's gained a clumsy streak and consequently tempted me with blood," I said. "First smashing your hand, and now this?" I clucked my tongue. LaCroix looked away and brought his bottom lip in between his teeth again. He quickly realized the action, though, and growled under his breath as his chin came up indignantly. Laughing, I touched his jaw to make him look at me. "When did that start anyway?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes and looked away again. "I first noticed it a month or so ago," he said in a low grumble.

Laughing again, I asked, "So you missed me so much that you adopted _my_ bad habits in my absence?" He shot me a warning look, but I placed my hand on his cheek and smiled. "That's adorable," I cooed, unable to help myself.

LaCroix snorted and turned away, walking to the fireplace. "I don't know _why_ it started," he stated. "Though I _am_ glad that, as unconscious an action as it is, my own punishment, as it were, is applied immediately."

"You mean catching your lip on a fang?" I asked, receiving a nod in return. "But the last time you did it, just now, you didn't bite yourself."

His head turned sharply to look at me, and he frowned. Then he sighed and seemed to deflate a bit, his shoulders slumping. "What have you done to me?" he said softly, shaking his head.

I smiled, but it faded fast. "You're unhappy that I'm rubbing off on you," I said, not phrasing it as a question.

He sighed. "Not _unhappy_," he said. "Though I'm supposed to be influencing _you_. I shouldn't be picking up your bad habits. It's a step backwards!"

I walked over to him and put a hand on his arm. "But as long as it's kept in private, it's okay," I pointed out. "And...I kinda like it. The thought that you're attached enough to not even realize you're using a gesture or expression of mine. It's sweet."

Raising an eyebrow, he said, "Since when have I ever been _sweet_ to you, Miss Lucas?"

"Plenty of times!" I said, pursing my lips slightly in a pout. "Samantha's birthday, all the times you've given me a pep talk-"

"Not out of sweetness or affection, Miss Lucas," he interrupted. "Remember?"

I shrugged, stepping back. "Whatever. _I_ find it sweet that you know what to say, no matter what your intention is." Sighing, I turned towards the office door. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go to my suite to unpack. By the time I'm done, it will probably be near sunrise."

LaCroix nodded with a small smile. He walked over to me and offered his arm. "At least let me escort you," he said.

I took his arm and smiled up at him. After we entered the elevator, I took his hand in mine and kissed the back of it. "Poor smashed hand," I said with a chuckle.

He looked uncomfortable as he pulled his hand from my grasp. "That was a lie," he said, crossing his arms so I couldn't take his hand back. I raised an eyebrow at him but stayed silent. He avoided my look for a few seconds, then met my eyes. "Well, how was I supposed to tell you over the phone that I'd just cutmy lip on my own fangs?" he asked, exasperated.

I burst out laughing and only stopped when the elevator doors slid open at my floor. Stepping out ahead of LaCroix, I forced my laughter to subside to small chuckles. "I'm sorry, Prince," I said, trying to be genuine in my apology. "I can tell it's embarrassing for you, but it's just...it's _cute_!" LaCroix rolled his eyes with a long sigh and quickened his step to walk in front of me. He slid his master key card through the slot next to my door, and I gently grasped his coat's sleeve as the lock clicked. "Come in for a few moments?" I asked him. "Please? Have a drink with me. I meant no insult by laughing. I think I still have a bottle of yours stashed in my cupboards." I smiled sweetly at him, hoping he'd take my invitation. Yes, I was hoping to make up for laughing at him; but I also wasn't ready to be separated from him yet, not after having been away this long.

The look he gave me at first made it seem as though he wasn't going to accept my offer to make up for making fun of him; but with a barely perceptible shrug of his shoulders, he finally reached past me and pushed open the door to my suite, gesturing for me to enter and following me inside. As he closed the door behind him, I gave him a grin and hurried to the kitchen for glasses and the bottle I knew was there. I'd told myself I'd been saving it for a special occasion. What occasion could be more special than our reunion? After carefully pouring us each a glass, I rejoined LaCroix in my living room and handed his glass to him. A corner of his mouth curled up a bit as he took it, and we gently clinked our glasses together in a silent toast. I watched as he drank half the glass in one go, and I licked my lips when he lowered the glass and I saw the stain the blood had left on his mouth. Forcing myself to look away, I took my own long drink. _It's only the blood,_ I tried to convince myself._ I'm more thirsty for his than what's in my glass. It's making him more attractive than usual. Oh, this was a bad idea..._ When I lowered my own glass, I saw him watching me as closely as I'd watched him.

I smirked, purposefully letting the blood remain on my lips as I stepped closer to him. "I know why_ I_ was looking at you like that," I said softly, reaching up and gently touching his face with my fingertips. "But why would you be giving me such a longing look?" I asked, taking another step closer, our bodies nearly touching now.

He chuckled, sliding an arm around my waist and pulling me against him. "I can't pretend I don't enjoy your attempts at seducing me," he said, returning the smirk.

Turning my head to allow me room to drink from my glass, my eyes never left his. As soon as I swallowed the thick _vitae_, I pouted. "My 'attempts'? I thought I was doing rather well."

His smirk grew. "To a point, yet you've never completed the seduction," he pointed out. "You lure me into your suite with the promise of blood, paint a _very_ tempting picture of yourself with blood on your lips, purr your suggestions while dancing around what you _really_ want to say, but you haven't managed to get what you've been seeming to want for years."

I swallowed hard, my smile fading as his words totally threw me off. _Was...that an invitation?_ "I had figured it wasn't mine to merely take, my Prince," I said softly, choosing my words as carefully as possible. "And besides, I'd be a fool to flatter myself so much as to think you'd fall for the fumbling seduction tricks of a fledgeling."

He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "And now, so flustered, you resort to flattery. Do you _really_ think my ego needs such fussing over?"

Without thinking, I caught my bottom lip between my teeth, looking away. I wasn't sure if I'd insulted him or not. Glancing up at him, our eyes met for an instant before he let go of me and turned away. He walked into the kitchen, draining his glass as he went. Once he was out of sight, I found myself shaking slightly._ God, what does he **do** to me? And what the hell is this new game? Should I play along, or is he testing me somehow?_ I shook my head hard and straightened my posture, lifting my chin high._ Fuck overthinking this. But if this is a lesson in patience or not being so impulsive... But if it **isn't**... Aw, fuck it._ I followed LaCroix into the kitchen and found him as he finished his second glass of blood. He saw me and smiled. "I thought you were leaving me to finish the bottle myself for a moment," he said, taking my glass from me and refilling it with what was left in the bottle. There was a little too much left; and the glass began to overflow slightly, dripping over his hand. I don't remember walking over to him and taking the glass out of his hand to place it on the counter; but the next thing I knew, my eyes were locked onto his as I slowly licked the blood from his fingers. As his hand was cleaned, I added small kisses and nips into the licking, never looking away from him.

His eyes burning into mine, he reached up to his tie with the other hand, loosening the knot there. I let his other hand fall, my tongue unconsciously sliding over my lips. I began to reach for the button of his collar; but he stopped me, cupping my face in both hands and kissing me fiercely. When he pulled away, he took two steps back, his expression like stone. I frowned, uncertain of what was going on in his mind. Right before I was going to ask what was wrong, he walked past me, unknotting his tie as he walked. I watched him disappear into the bedroom and swallowed hard. _Wait...does...this mean...?_ I followed after him and found him draping his coat over the back of a chair. When he looked at me, he still had the same deadly serious look on his face; but a flicker of his eyes over me matched with a quick swipe of his tongue over his lips made me walk over to him and pull him into another kiss. He held me tightly against him even after our mouths separated. "You wouldn't share a bed with me before I'd been accepted into the clan," I said quietly, my hands resting flat against his chest. "Is that because I wasn't worthy to share that power with you yet?"

"I suppose one might look at it like that," he answered.

"But you gave me your blood anyway."

"It's not always blood." He gently guided me to the bed, pulling me down to sit next to him and letting me rest my head on his shoulder.

"What else is there?" I asked, confused.

"Power _over_ someone."

I looked up at him with a small frown. "You didn't want to submit to me," I reasoned.

He chuckled finally. "No, I didn't want you to see how much power you hold. Not before you could be _trusted_ with it."

Raising an eyebrow, I smirked. "You didn't want me taking _advantage_ of you, then..."

"More than you already did," he said, returning the smirk, adding, "not in that way."

"And now I can be 'trusted'?" I asked carefully. "Even after the events that brought me back tonight?"

LaCroix hesitated a moment, studying me before answering. "I get more work done when you're nearby," he said, not answering my question; but I knew what he meant. He'd been distracted by my absence as well. Why that would be the case when he wasn't bound to me in any way escaped me, but it was nice to hear him admit in his indirect way that he was attached enough to me that he was able to miss me when I was gone.

I nodded, mostly satisfied by his words, then moved to straddle his lap, not an easy task in the knee-length skirt I was wearing. To my advantage, though, considering how he licked his lips as his hands went to my exposed thighs as the skirt rode up. I closed the distance between us, pressing my lips to his. I kept my eyes open, noting how his instantly closed when I kissed him. I knew that, for all intensive purposes, I was his possession, not the other way around. His reactions in times like these, though, cast some doubt in my mind on that thought, especially after what he'd just said. I gently bit his bottom lip, using my fangs. He moaned quietly and shuddered as I tasted his blood again, just a few drops from the small break in the skin. His hands moved up to my waist, gripping me tight while I suckled his lip lightly. My tongue closed the wound I'd made on his lip, and I turned my head slightly to kiss his cheek instead. This seemed to bring him back to earth a little, allowing him to pull back and look at me. I smiled at him and touched his cheek with my hand. He turned his head to kiss my palm, eyes still on mine. We both seemed satisfied with the current situation, and I grinned as he moved to roll me onto my back on the bed.

He leaned over me and kissed me eagerly; and I hardly even noticed his hands unbuttoning my blouse until he'd pulled it open and began to trail kisses down the center of my chest and onto my stomach. As he moved up to kiss my lips again, his arms went around me; and I could tell he was searching for the zipper on my skirt. His wanton eagerness made me laugh into the kiss, the sound of which apparently distracted him. He pulled back to look at me, his expression questioning. Instead of explaining myself, I pushed him off me, rolling on top of him instead.

I began to unbutton his dress shirt; and to my surprise, he seemed suddenly calm. Patient. I, however, was losing _my_ patience just because of the way his hands were brushing against the bare skin on my sides, tickling and arousing my nerves all at once. _That_ was why he seemed so serene all of a sudden: he knew that he in control of me in spite of my seemingly dominant position. When I'd finally managed to unbutton his shirt entirely, he sat up, letting me stay in his lap as he shrugged the shirt off.

I found out one thing rather quickly that moment: in that setting, his eyes were more piercing than I ever thought imaginable. I didn't know if it was due to the intimacy of the situation or the electricity between us or actual arousal that I didn't think was possible for the undead to feel so sharply, but I could hardly stand to keep eye contact with him. He took that opportunity to lie me down on my back again, hovering over me. Somewhere along the line, probably while I was struggling with his shirt buttons and trying to ignore how sensitive my nerves apparently still were even since my embrace, he'd managed to unzip my skirt and now easily pulled it off me. His hands skated up my legs and torso, leaving my body just below my ribs to join with my own hands. I extricated my hands from his quickly, however, and slid them up his arms, running them over his back. "I want to taste you," I told him, lifting my head to kiss his neck.

He groaned under his breath then pushed himself up on his hands. Looking at me, he wet his lips. He almost looked nervous. I reached up and brushed his hair away from his face as our—rather, _my_—enthusiasm seemed to have ruffled his usually meticulously combed hair. My touch made him smile a little as he gathered his thoughts. "Have you ever wondered why your drinking from me has...the _effect_ it does on me?"

I shrugged. "I know it's pleasurable for you," I answered. "If you're asking if I ever wondered what it felt like, of course I have."

LaCroix hesitated, his eyes darting away from me for a moment before looking back. "Would you like to find out?"

Frowning, I sat up a bit, propping myself up on my elbows. "You would drink from _me_?" I asked incredulously. Instead of answering, his eyes darted around my face, seeming to look for clues regarding my thoughts on the suggestion. I shook my head slightly. "Why would you do that willingly?" He frowned as well but stayed quiet. I reached up and touched his face. "I remember how you referred to me as your weakness, but you already have one..._attachment_ to get rid of somehow."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "As far as a bond goes, it's hardly of any concern to me," he said in a low voice. "Being my childe, the strength of your blood _is_ weaker than my own. The effects would be mild, to say the least."

"But such a bond, weak as it may be, will _still_ remain with you," I argued.

LaCroix looked at me through slitted eyes, and I could see his expression change slightly towards curiosity. "Why are you trying to convince me away from this?" he asked. "Most would _jump_ at the chance to have a prince bound to them."

"Yes, _most_ would," I agreed. "But I know you already struggle with another bond that you regret. I don't want the slightest chance of your regretting being bound to me, however slight."

He chuckled, moving forward and kissing my collarbone lightly. "Is that not my own choice to make?"

"Of course, but-"

"Then trust that I know what I'm doing," he said, raising his head to be eye to eye with me.

"Are you trying to convince _me_ or yourself, Sebastian?" I asked dryly. He responded with a slight glare, and I settled back against the bed. "If you've thought this through so much, though, feel free," I told him. "You _are_ my elder, after all."

He studied me for a few more moments, giving me time to admire his shoulders, curving up a graceful neck that I so _badly_ wanted to sink my fangs into. My eyes then locked onto his again, the almost painfully piercing gaze back. He lowered himself onto me again, lips barely brushing the skin of my neck and down onto my chest. Again, he trailed his kisses between my breasts; but he let his hands skim over the thin satin of my bra , making me arch against his touch. This new type of arousal was unfamiliar, mostly because it made me thirstier than I'd felt in a long while. Yes, touches and caresses excited; but it all was leading to the goal of drinking, feeding to enhance the sensations that I was feeling.

His lips made their way past my stomach and over my hipbone onto my right thigh. His hand slid under my knee, prompting me to bring it up with my foot flat against the bed. A few more tickling kisses on my inner thigh made my eyes flutter closed, then a sharp pain and a burning that almost instantly spread through my entire body made me cry out sharply and grab onto the satin sheets under me. I moaned loudly as an indescribable pleasure followed after the fire, spreading over every inch of my skin and penetrating every cell, making my whole body feel warm, alive again while his mouth was taking in my blood from the bite he'd made on my leg.

My entire body was trembling as his tongue closed the bite, and he gently lowered my knee with his hand. I could feel him move back over me, and I arched into his touch wherever his hands landed on my skin. He lowered his face to my neck, barely brushing my skin with the tip of his nose. "You are the most exquisite thing I've ever tasted," he whispered, the cool breeze of his breath making me shudder violently beneath him. My hands searched for his belt, unbuckled it, went for the button of his dress slacks next. I _needed_ this to go further. More. I needed to drink him in. My rational thoughts were shutting down, giving way to an animalistic need that I'd thought faded when I'd died. This couldn't stop or slow here. As I rolled us over, putting me once more on top of him, our lips met in another searing kiss. His hands were searching for how to unclasp my bra when I pulled away from the kiss and sank my fangs into his shoulder, letting his blood burn through me and drawing a loud moan from him. Yes, sex was _definitely_ different as Kindred...

* * *

I learned several things through the remainder of the night. First of all, Sebastian LaCroix was not a shy, gentle, loving type. He could allow things to slow down, taking wordless cues from me to know when I needed to catch my breath. Figuratively speaking, of course; more like taking a moment to collect my thoughts into something resembling intelligent sentience rather than subconscious and instinctual lust. But once I'd begun to return his touches or tried to gain a reaction from him, the pace was brought back up, pulling me back into a dizzying heat that overwhelmed and left me needing more. He was almost brutal, nearly insatiable, but somehow still patient and calculating at the same time. Years of practice, I supposed. It was all still a power struggle that he had decided to win before the game had ever started.

Second, it was not easy to surprise him; but it was not impossible either. For the most part, he seemed to be able to predict what I wanted from him or how I wanted to touch him. On rare occasion, however, I managed to pull a deep moan from him while biting into his side at the same time my nails scratched over his hip or made him arch off the bed while running my tongue up his chest to his neck during a moment of perfect rhythm between us.

Third, the blood of a Kindred lover is the most powerful aphrodisiac in existence. Just when I was beginning to think that things would slow down and cool off, one of us would get the urge to bite into the other again, reigniting that passion and need. By the end of the night, the red satin sheets were stained with rust colored droplets and smears of blood.

Lastly, I'd expected LaCroix to try to force a distance between us even if we were to share a bed for the day. On the contrary, however, he let me curl up against him, pulling me close with an arm around me. Then again, it was all part of the game we'd played all night, little triumphs every time we made the other gasp or shudder. In the quiet afterward, it continued. Even once healed with a brush of the tongue, vampire bites remained sensitive for a short period of time. His fingers would brush one of the bite marks he'd left, making me jump and bury my face in his neck as I shivered but pressed against his hand for more. It was like a shadow of the original bite, pain but pleasure. As I squirmed under his touch, I'd kiss one of the marks I left on his neck, making him shudder and groan, his hand gripping me tightly suddenly. The "game" went on until we both fell into a forced sleep when the sun rose.

* * *

**A/N: I can already hear criticisms in the back of my head for taking this route. There's a reason for all, though. This particular chapter has been in the works for probably over a year. The last portion of it was written a LOOOOONG time ago (as in, before I took my hiatus last summer, so over a year ago), with a few tweaks being made to it before posting. Next chapter is brewing in my head. It's just a matter of finding time to get it down and posted!**


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